Search the Community

I get glimpses of nonduality sometimes but mainly I'm too busy dealing with my stages blue and orange shadows ha ha

Materialism is a belief, Nonduality means not two. Materialism seems true if believed, Nonduality is true wether believed or not.

This doesn't include precautions like testing, having a trip sitter, measuring dosages etc. This has more to do with things that I want to make sure I have done before choosing to experiment with psychedelics. I know this might seem like a lot (or perfectly reasonable) but since I'm waiting til I'm 25 to do psychedelics, I want to make sure I can do as much as I can between now and then to have a high quality trip. Be over 25: Need to have the prefrontal cortex developed. Don't want to mess up my neurological development. Have at least 2 years of mental stability. I don't want to see demons and shit. This means for 2 years there are: No anxiety attacks no depressive episodes healthy habits are in place exercising regularly be mindful of the content you consume Deal with most traumatic events and process them to where they don't hold you back or effect you Have basic survival dealt with in a sustainable/ conscious way: can financially support myself without being anxious about money in a job that I find fulfilling if not at the very least bearable have healthy and fulfilling relationships (both platonic and romantic) health wise I'm doing well and not on any medication that could interfere with psychedelics Be firmly into stage yellow in spiral dynamics and be firmly aware in the strategist and construct aware stages in the 9 stages of ego development Exhaust stage green tendencies Deal with any emotional hang ups from the previous stages Continue quality self education after college Educate yourself on mystical traditions, nonduality, and philosophy for at least a year familiarize with stage turquoise/ unitive aware stage and concepts watch Leo's videos on nonduality and psychedelic usage (been ignoring them for now because I'm simply not ready) Travel to a place where you can do this with the supervision of a professional and where this is legal could include/ mean visiting a shaman or doing it in a country where it is legal and regulated (don't want to deal with jail time or any complications that can arise in an uncontrolled environment) What do you guys think? Is there anything else that I should add to the list? Is there anything that seems a little much?

I got this in an email from the Diamond Approach today and thought some good points were made in relation to duality/non-duality Experiencing Nonduality "In the experience of nonduality, it is not as though physical reality were a dream emanating from it - that perception would still be dualistic. When duality is seen through, physical reality is imbued with the essential dimension, and the two become one. This gives the physical more reality, more substance, more existence, more meaning, more depth, and more dimensionality. When you look at people, they seem more substantial, and even their bodies appear more physical, in a sense. Every object and person has a concreteness and a definiteness that makes each appear more defined, more present, and more complete, because your experience of them includes the depth of the true existence. When everything is perceived as the Absolute, each atom, each form, has its depth. The Absolute not only underlies everything, but penetrates all manifestation. Depending upon which dimension you are experiencing, everything you perceive acquires the depth and beauty of that dimension." -A. H. Almaas, founder of the Diamond Approach, Facets of Unity, pg. 87 The known can place limits on our potential and possibility. How we envision the end of the spiritual journey or the enlightenment of the soul can pre-define what’s possible. The Diamond Approach doesn’t posit an ultimate reality, and the central methodology of the Diamond Approach is open and open-ended inquriy. These fundamentals keep everything wide open, allowing each soul to unfold according to its uniqueness, not some prescribed cookie-cutter reality intended for all. The openness to engaging experience where you are is more important than whether you happen to be in a dual or nondual state. Spiritual bypassing can happen otherwise. Read Full Blog Post Here https://online.diamondapproach.org/nonduality-allowing-experience-to-educate-inform/?utm_source=ontraport&utm_campaign=eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=eNews&utm_content=Nov21&0=

Yes of course all experience is in apparent duality. An experience of literal nonduality without that appearance is completely impossible. Experience needs experienced and experiencer. The thinker is what you refer to as "I", which is formless nothing. The thought is form which is fundamentally nothing so fundamentally is the subject. The pairing of this duality as a singular unit is total infinity.

So going forward should I keep theory to a minimum and take precautions to work on myself until I feel like I'm ready for direct experience? Maybe instead of looking into theory before, I should look at it later on after I have my own experience to go off of and can resonate with different traditions and see what makes sense to me(so that the exploration of different ideas comes from a place of resonance rather that me outsourcing experience to other sources)? I guess this was miscommunication on my part. I normally associate studying with exploring different points of view and I suppose your definition of sharing experiences. I would consider myself at the very beginning (as in barely scratching the surface) of the spiritual process as it relates to things like nonduality and mysticism. I'm guessing you think that I'm over thinking all of this ?

@BipolarGrowth Thanks so much for sharing this! Was really helpful to read. I skimmed chapters A&P through Conformity, and I sense that the stage I'm at is Equanimity, though I would need to read the book in more detail to know for sure. That said, the bliss/rapture/ecstasy states in A&P certainly have a lot of overlap with my psychedelic experiences. I pretty consistently have ego death experiences these days, even on relatively small doses, and often dissolve into what I can only describe as Infinite Mind where insights about Truth create a cosmic orgasm-like experience. Except it's not happening to Tucker and to a physical body (as those no longer exist in these states), it's just this abstract bliss that feels like God endlessly ejaculating (in a cosmic not physical sense lol). This last for hours until Consciousness slowly recreates a physical body and ego mind in which I as Tucker come back into form. Often the bliss remains for hours after I'm back in my body, and intense surges of energy course through my body as if Spirit is dancing me. Everything is in perfect harmony and flow, even my ego thoughts which can be witnessed and unconditionally loved. I mention all this to say that I suspect the "Dark Night" feelings are from going from Nonduality to Duality again, and from experiencing Bliss to Equanimity again. Put more bluntly, going from God to Tucker is a bit of a letdown hahaha, although within a day usually a sense of Equanimity returns. Perhaps this is the "Dark Night of Equanimity" that the writer briefly alludes to. My sense is that all these maps and models for meditation and awakening need to be researched and reevaluated through the lensing of psychedelics, as I suspect (though am no expert) that the the progression of insights and embodiment happen in unique ways that may not fully align with traditional awakening models. Let me know your thoughts, brother, and appreciate you taking the time to share your wisdom!

That is sort of a testimony, no offense I hope, as to what I suggested. You’re already under an impression there is a second source (might seem tediously semantical, but it isn’t) and that one could understand nonduality. That’s a big one so to speak, a colossal misnomer. You don’t want conjecture like that creeping into your foundation when you’re just getting started (IMO). I wouldn’t frame it up as letting go of sources. There is one source, and it is impossible to let it go. That might seem like a small point but imo it’s not at all. “Resourcing” or “multi-sourcing” is undermining of oneself but doesn’t initially readily seem so and makes equanimity harder down the path. I also wouldn’t frame as ‘study’. If you want to read someone’s book about their existential experiences, that’s great… but you’re not ‘studying’ it… they’re sharing experiences… and you’re interested in experiencing that sharing. ‘Studying’ (imo) is applicable to memorizing information for an exam, or similar situations. And direct experience isn’t reliable or unreliable, it’s simply direct experience. That, I would explore until there is not a single question remaining. Until you are so satisfied you’re bliss napping face down on the floor as an orgasmic pile of your infinite self. There isn’t really that line. Any studying is ‘in’ direct experience, or, is direct experience. Direct experience is not found in studying. Given those distinctions… and a great understanding of the emotional scale… I don’t really think you need a trip guide & facility. Advice wise, yes, absolutely, of course you should be safe and as conservative as possible, take every precaution possible, and utilize every resource available to you. Personally, I prefer a long weekend in a cabin in the woods alone. But, so to speak, my understanding of emotion is astute and crystal clear. You could think of that (if you will) as the actuality for what the belief ‘mental stability’ points to. Or maybe we are actually saying the same thing in that regard, idk.

I was thinking of using Leo's video as a source in addition to understanding nonduality. But I do understand the value behind direct experience (which is why I'm thinking of using psychedelics in the future anyway lol). To what extent do you think that's beneficial and to what extent should I let go of the sources and the study and rely on my direct experience? In your opinion, where do you think the line is best drawn and how do you know when you crossed that line?

This does feel realistic for me given where I'm at right now. I have been working my way up the spiral for about 3 years now and I have been at at least stage orange for about a decade (have since integrated much of it and moved on). I really want to say that I am currently yellow with a few green hang ups/ trigger points but if I'm going to be honest, I feel cocky just saying that lol. I do agree that people need to be at least orange to dip their feet in because (correctly if this sounds wrong), I feel like if a stage blue person did psychedelics, they would immediately either fall into demonization of the substance or fall deeper into their own religious dogma due to a lack of understanding around the theory of nonduality. But idk, there is a part of me that wants to urge people to at the very least wait til they dip into stage green to start experimenting. I feel like a lot of orange people tend to fall into the trap of being entertained by the cool colors instead of understanding and integrating things deeply (unless that's what they set out to do due to exposure to content like actualized.org). Over all, I'm under the general impression that the more conscious you are, the more you are likely to get out of the trip. These standards I wrote above are subject to change so I'm not being to rigid with them for my personal uses with the exception of the point regarding age and legality/safety. I am intrigued by the whole using psychedelics to a variety of mental health issues especially PTSD and drug addiction. Granted I'm still pretty new to all of this so feel free to correct me or get me more information. When it comes to drug addiction, I guess I would be most concerned about the effects of mixing substances in your body and how that sensitivity can differ from person to person. While this isn't related to addiction directly, I have friends who are on antidepressants. Normally, when a person is on antidepressants, it is highly advisable to avoid alcohol since alcohol can mess with your head and therefore interfere with the medication (to the point where it can cause seizures). This label is usually there for binge drinkers so usually, a couple drinks here and there aren't going to fuck you up. But for some people, even 2 drinks can cause some issues. I'm just using this as an example of how different drugs (prescribed or otherwise) can act within a person's body and how people should really think through things. As for both PTSD and addiction specifically, I feel like doing trips in a lab setting or medically monitored environment would be the most ideal choice but then again I don't know how people would go about doing that. I'm not for or against doing psychedelics when your life isn't together (if anything, I think you can gain a lot of healing from psychedelics) but I do want to lean on the side of caution since these aren't toys to mess around with. There is a video I watched a while back of this lade who took psychedelics and how that bad trip healed her eating disorder. She does a lot of content around eating disorders, the realities/misconceptions of them, the culture surrounding eating disorders, and her personal experiences. I thought it was pretty interesting and I recommend that people check it out:

@WokeBloke Experiencer is a duality. Nonduality means not two. There is no experiencer.

Literally true also, without needing to think about material survival. Nothingness cannot be experienced = no experience = "death". Total nonduality cannot be experienced, just as to see a dream you must seem to be inside the dream = no experience possible = "death".

Prerequisites Before Doing Psychedelics This doesn't include precautions like testing, having a trip sitter, measuring dosages etc. This has more to do with things that I want to make sure I have done before choosing to experiment. Be over 25: Need to have the prefrontal cortex developed. Don't want to mess up my neurological development. Have at least 2 years of mental stability. I don't want to see demons and shit. This means for 2 years there are: No anxiety attacks no depressive episodes healthy habits are in place exercising regularly be mindful of the content you consume Deal with most traumatic events and process them to where they don't hold you back or effect you Have basic survival dealt with in a sustainable/ conscious way: can financially support myself without being anxious about money in a job that I find fulfilling if not at the very least bearable have healthy and fulfilling relationships (both platonic and romantic) health wise I'm doing well and not on any medication that could interfere with psychedelics Be firmly into stage yellow in spiral dynamics and be firmly aware in the strategist and construct aware stages in the 9 stages of ego development Exhaust stage green tendencies Deal with any emotional hang ups from the previous stages Continue quality self education after college Educate yourself on mystical traditions, nonduality, and philosophy for at least a year familiarize with stage turquoise/ unitive aware stage and concepts watch Leo's videos on nonduality and psychedelic usage (been ignoring them for now because I'm simply not ready) Travel to a place where you can do this with the supervision of a professional and where this is legal could include/ mean visiting a shaman or doing it in a country where it is legal and regulated

My wife and I are watching "Yunus Emre: Journey of Love" again. This is her second time and my fourth time. Yunus Emre was a Sufi/dervish during the 1200s...same time as Rumi (Rumi was about 30 years older)...and in roughly the same geography (Konya, Turkey). Anyway, Netflix used to have the series, but not anymore...it is still available on Youtube at... Season 1 - www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCxIHnP1BCXx-0XWjt8wbkksuPBoi9pL Season 2 - www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCxIHnP1BCXlN9ebS0ehHEBJsOCLCsVM In Turkish with English subtitles. A great series with dervish/Sufi teachings mixed in...and a subtle focus on nonduality (i.e. Unity as it is called in the series). I thoroughly enjoy it and thought I would make others aware of it. Also, here is the trailer.

Leo's beef with science is more philosophical than pragmatic. It's pretty clear, from both his videos and his statements on the forum, that he does respect and even admire scientific progress, as it's an inevitable part of an evolving universe. That being said, I share your feelings that the anti-science/knowledge vibes can come off a bit dogmatically. Sam Harris has interviewed a few nonduality people (Adyashanti, Rupert Spira, etc), and it's the same basic dilemma... one simply cannot prove that there is, or is not, a material universe that is inaccessible to consciousness. One camp says there is a universe beyond awareness, and the other says it's too big of an assumption and therefore worth discarding. Personally, I'm completely ambiguous on the question. Agnostic, you might say. Does it really matter if there is or isn't a universe that persists beyond personal experience? Probably not. I am more materialist in thinking than many people on these forums, no matter how many oneness, Godhead, nondual, reality-dissolving experiences I've had via psychedelics and meditation. We simply do not have the ability to make universal "truth" statements. It's like asking a software program to describe the room its hardware is located in. We have zero access to it either way, so no need to go on polemics for or against it. All I do know is that materialism, as a scientific approach, has yielded the most consistent results. Mysticism has either demonstrated none, or done extremely poorly in replication. If there are auras, let's see them. If there is such a thing as consciousness "leaving the body," let's have some studies where NDE patients accurately report data they couldn't have experienced from their body. So, in short... is consciousness creating everything, or is consciousness merely reflective/aware of external phenomena and representing them through hallucinations we term "experience?" That debate will never end.

hmm is this a trick question? hehe Yes it could be in the sense of the dogma that we tend to use to separate/divide subjects into their own isolated countable parts, what the dogma tends to say that the numbers represent and are defined as, as well the dogma of how the numbers tend to be used and integrated?? Or yes in terms of number is dogma is everything in terms of the nonduality dogma and everything appearing as one so could say XXX is YYY in regards to anything. Or I could say no. A number is just a number and dogma is just dogma and a number is only dogma if I say it is and project the notion of dogma onto the number. @Johnny GaltIs a yes or no question dogma? What do you think about "is number dogma?"

Before I attracted a kind comment, I noticed I had verbal diarrhea with my husband this morning, and just everything was coming out of my mouth with no filter, and luckily he's always just too chill to be bothered. Then I thought of something I said in conversation recently and part of the youtube video I have ready to post. And I thought... "I really wish no one took me seriously. " And like... with nonduality, you have to have both, you have to not take it seriously and disregard it and also, it's the truest thing you ever heard. At the same time. So likewise, in my relationships and interactions I reflect this. I Am hollow. I Am hallowed. I am full of shit. I am fertile soil for ideas. I am never the ideas.

Hey, sorry in advance if commenting here is somehow inappropriate. I hardly ever come to this section of the forum, but stumbled upon this last post of yours - just wanted to let you know that your contributions are very much appreciated and don't go unnoticed, and that your way of communicating nonduality is truly inspiring and unique. Just a random comment coming from you-know-what

1. Understanding Absolute Infinity - Part 1 & 2 (blew my mind so hard) 2. What Is God? - Part 1 - A No Bullshit Explanation For Smart People (blew it) 3. Understanding How Paradigms Work (blew it) 4. Jacques Derrida, Deconstruction, Post-Modernism & Nonduality (blew it) 5. 40 Signs That You Are Neurotic - Understanding Neurosis (saved my life)

Knew you were gonna say that. Took years to get that nonduality is all that is, and there is no reincarnation, and yet I’m talking with ‘dead’ people standing right in front of me, which are much more ‘real’ as in vivid etc, than ‘regular real’, so to speak. The issue with communicating this goes back to the thoughts. When you’re reading what I’m saying thoughts arise, and the direct experience pointed to can’t be thought. But can be experienced. The movies Interstellar and The Arrival are more or less about this.

I've been compiling a list of insights I've had around “neediness” and relationships. In particular, I feel that neediness has become a bit of a bad word on this forum, so I wanted to shake things up a bit. Some of my influences in writing this were Dr. Marshall Rosenberg (Non-Violent Communication), Teal Swan and Charles Eisenstein. You may wish to check out their work if you resonate with what I've written here. Would love to hear what you think! **Note** I will be using the word “need” is a colloquial way that is synonymous with the word “want”. **Note 2** This advice should be read with extra discernment by those with anxious attachment style or enmeshment trauma. It's also not for people in abusive or codependent relationships. If you're in these situations, please honor your needs and consider leaving. I am mostly concerned here with helping move people from independence to interdependence. 1. Non-Neediness vs non-neediness We can think of capital Non-Neediness in a Absolute spiritual sense. God is without self and form, yet simultaneously is all things. It is without lack, including even the ability to lack. Therefore we could say God needs nothing. It is Complete. From this perspective, all needs are in fact imaginary, as life itself is a thought in the Mind of God. You as this ego are a thought. We can think of lower case “non-neediness” as more of a relative non-neediness. If I just ate a huge meal, I don't need food at that moment. If I just slept 8 hours, I don't need to sleep more. Needs in this category are generally finite and satiable. They are the needs we are mostly concerned with. We can tap into the Absolute perspective of Non-Neediness, which grounds us. It's sort of a “checks and balance” to living as this finite form. But as a finite entity, perfect non-neediness is impossible to achieve. Even if we are only imagining our neediness. Which brings me maybe the single most important point in all of this... 2. All human relationships are based on meeting needs Asking people to be totally non-needy in relationships is asking people for the impossible. We cannot not have needs in relationships. In fact, if there are no needs being met, then there is no relationship at all. Needs create relationships. If I truly need nothing from you, and you need nothing from me, there is no reason for us to have a relationship. *note* don't confuse this with a “harsh pragmatism” that sees the world purely from a utilitarian perspective. Your needs actually go far beyond this. Contribution is a need. Love is a need. 3. You cannot meet all your needs on your own This may be the most controversial piece of this post. We are often taught in spiritual circles to love ourselves, be sovereign, be whole and complete, and to not be attached to anything. Peace comes from within. But these truisms can easily get misconstrued. Not only is it impossible for you to meet all your basic survival needs on your own (food, shelter, clothing, etc), I am going to go one step further. You cannot meet all your emotional needs on your own. People who love themselves and who feel whole and complete do not just sit in a room loving themselves. It's because they love themselves that they seek out and meet their needs. Which often involves others. Self-love includes having others meet your needs, not excludes it. **Note** yes, at the highest levels of nonduality where the distinction of “self/other” collapses, this line gets blurry and nonsensical. But it is still practical to make this distinction for our purposes here. 4. You can either meet your needs consciously or unconsciously There are two choices regarding your needs: a) Meet your needs consciously and deliberately or b) unconsciously manipulate your way to meeting your needs. There simply is no option to be non-needy. Often when people talk about being non-needy, they are only doing so as a strategy to meet their needs. They've learned that when they act not-needy, they (sometimes) get their needs met. When we meet our needs consciously, we can often build synergistic and win/win scenarios with others. We actually become psychologically healthier and can avoid many of the toxic elements of neediness. When we manipulate and go unconscious, it often falls into lose/lose scenarios. Our neediness becomes more toxic and damaging to others. 5. Clarity of needs is key What do we really need? Much of the toxicity of “neediness” comes not from having needs themselves, but on poorly answering this question. We mistake what we really need all the time. We may think we need a mansion, the latest gadget, or another partner. The potential list of what we could think we need is endless. And due to a lot of trauma and social programming, this list is often thoroughly misguided. If we due not distinguish what our true needs are vs what we have been unconsciously programmed with, that is a recipe for disaster both individually and collectively. What I've found is that most of my real needs are incredibly basic. They tend not to be flashy. Simple things will do just fine. So while it is possible that this clarity will reduce the number of needs you have or tone them down, that is NOT the goal. We are not seeking to get rid of needs. We are seeking clarity, and to let the needs fall where they may. If a surrendering is needed, it will then take place naturally once proper clarity is found. 6. Commitment requires neediness To commit to a relationship with someone is inherently needy. When we are non-committal and prioritize optionality, it allows us to keep things non-needy. No one is investing too much. We can always change our minds. But when we commit to someone, we are investing. It is no longer non-needy. And yet, the strongest and most fulfilling relationships are based in equally strong commitment. Commitment in a relationship allows for repair when inevitably the relationship struggles. 7. People want to be needed This one also goes a bit against the grain. We are told to be non-needy because no one wants to feel pressured. Better to play it cool. And certainly there is some truth there. Coercion or making demands is usually socially unpopular. But in our attempts to play it cool or maybe be seen as “alpha”, we often overlook an obvious point. People want to be needed. To be needed means you are valuable or desirable. It makes people feel like they are bringing something to the table, even if it's just being themselves. 8. Needing people is where you will find your greatest joy There is a real payoff from isolation that must be acknowledged. That payoff is that you will stay safe. Alone, there is no conflict. No differing agendas or opinions. No one who can let you down or hurt you. No one who can break your heart. No one who can judge you. You can more easily feel into who you truly are, away previous cultural programming. And in this, there is a certain safety. It's important to not demand the part of ourselves that desires this safety to give that up. If that is you, stay safe as long as you need. But eventually some of us will inevitably ask ourselves, is safety our highest priority? Could we maybe redefine safety not as avoiding conflict, but as including it? Could we be safe while still in the jungle that is relationships? Because that is where the most fun is. The complimenting and collaboration of unique forms IS part of the point of being alive and in this world based in duality. But this requires that we NEED each other. And all the vulnerability that goes along with that. 9. Our social problems come from a lack of meeting needs Why climate change? Why homelessness? Why racism? Why pandemics? These are, of course, extremely complex problems. A full discussion of this is beyond this post. But I will offer one lens here to view these problems, which is a lack of us truly meeting our own needs as well as others. When these shadow needs run unconsciously, it can create havoc socially. It is true that win/win scenarios can be good for those involved but bad for the collective. For example, a corrupt government official and a CEO who work out a deal that is good for both of them, but bad for the country. However, even in a case like this, the problem is that not ENOUGH needs are being taken into account. They are not accounting for the needs of the whole country, just for a small percentage of people. 10. Telling the truth and honest dialogue requires addressing needs If you do not feel that a person you are talking with is taking into account your needs, you will not listen to them. And that goes equally for the person talking to you. But when everyone's needs are known and on the table, and people feel these needs are being taken into account, it's amazing the dialogue that can open up. We sometimes like to hit people over the heads with the “hard truth” of our opinions. This often never goes far in convincing people, and then we blame them for being closed minded. But often in these scenarios, there are no needs being taken into account by either party. We have to understand that giving harsh feedback is earned through trust and relationship. And this can only occur if needs are being addressed. 11. Intimacy requires neediness If I don't know what you need, then I don't understand you. And if I don't understand you, we don't have intimacy. So we must know what this person you are in a relationship needs. This causes the person to feel seen, understood, and builds trust. And while intimacy is certainly more complicated that someone knowing your needs, it is nonetheless a necessary prerequisite.

TITLE: Scared to transition to enlightenment, nonduality, awakening, etc.? (PNSE)

I’m rollin with that new Buddha Will, where first they gotta find me, and then I get all my shit back. You can do it guys! Don’t give it up till you’re absolutely sure it’s me! Nonduality’s so damn funny I can’t even withstand it. Death & loss are obviously thoughts, and of course there is no thought or thought attachment. This is an appearance only ‘within’ the spheres. The humility of the recognition that the mind can not go where it has not been is priceless invaluable and meaningless. It’s all about being in the right state.

I think it's most telling to recognize that even concepts, when taken to their extreme limit (as with CTMU), still "point" in the same direction as nonduality. This is obviously not the same thing as realization, but if you're a regular guy exploring your worldview and unsure if there's any "truth" to be found in nonduality, this is a nice hint. It's easy to forget that it takes a lot of "faith" to embark on the spiritual journey, which at the beginning can feel like it's just another rabbit trail into deluded territory (which admittedly is one of the huge benefits of psychedelics).

@WokeBloke There is neither an "experiencer" nor "something which is "experienced" by the experiencer. There is only experience - although even that is saying too much, because "experience" can only be know by contrast of non-experience - which also doesn't exist (Nonduality). let me try to illustrate this, but it's crucial that you read the explanation afterwards, otherwise this might seem rather abstract. Imagine a sphere, the inside of which is covered with mirror substance, so that it is completely self-reflecting within itself. Now imagine this mirror would also be self-illuminating so that you could now see something inside of this mirror sphere. Now imagine that the mirror is conscious (it is aware of what is going on inside of itself). Now imagine this mirror would not only be a smooth sphere anymore, but shape itself (on this inside) into the forms of this world. Of what would the mirror be conscious, other than "of its own consciousness"? Nothing of course! The "reflection" of the mirror (experience) is identical with the "mirroring of" itself (the experiencer). There is no experiencer apart from that which is experienced. There is literally only ONE self-illuminating, self-knowing consciousness. Sight is, but nobody who sees. Sound is, but nobody who hears. The conception of an "experiencer" is nothing but a grammatical convention: For example: "I hear sounds." I - the experiencer hear - the connection between experiencer and the experienced sounds - that which is experienced Now I want you to notice, that either both "I" and "sounds" or "I and "hear" are completely unnecessary for describing the experience. "Hearing sounds". This is a completely redundant expression, because OF COURSE you would "hear" sounds. Are the sounds which are not heard? You could say "I hear" or "there are sounds", because both describe the exact same thing. Or you could even say "hearing" or "sounds". Which again, will describe the exact same thing. "I experience experiences." Again, completely redundant. There is only experience, and it is 100% independent of any "experiencer", making the notion of "something being experienced by" entirely redundant as well. Consciousness is not conscious "of" anything. Consciousness is everything. The mirror and the reflection are identical.