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@Lenny this is a problem that comes up for me a lot on this site. It becomes hard not to create beliefs about what is true and I feel like it creates a delusional affect where really I don't know what is true. I think this can really interfere with my efforts to seeking truth. I don't want to create beliefs about nonduality that prevent me from knowing for sure if it is true or just a story the mind could spin. Maybe this is a cause for me to not spend too much time on this site. After my own contemplating I questioned how do I know inanimate objects don't have feelings. I can compare a curtain to cat and see a clear difference. The cat purrs and hisses while the curtain only changes shape when acted upon by a person folding it for example. It appears to have no judgement, but unless I am the curtain, I can't tell for sure if it has feelings or not. I assume it has no perspective because of the initial comparison between inanimate objects and animals. I want to be careful not to change my beliefs just because it seems wrong. As for thinking, an example of a body part being unable to think on its own would be a dead person. The body may still have living cells, but the body becomes like a curtain that just sits there until a creature moves it. I feel like there is a voice in my head, and I have a hard time hearing a voice in my feet or hands which suggests that thoughts come from my brain. My body is connected to my mind because I think of words to type and my fingers move accordingly. The movements of the body are learned because I practiced typing and I do not consciously think "I will move this finger to this letter then the space bar.". My mind might associate these words with letters which are associated with particular positions on the keyboard which then causes me to automatically move my fingers in this way. Maybe this is a simplified thinking process of my brain which I associate with these movements allowing my fingers to do this quickly just like tying my shoes. The voice in my head can be acted upon if I cause it to say "I am a rainbow butterfly with 17 wings who likes to tap dance on a pot of gold.". This suggests that the voice is the thoughts and beliefs but I am manipulating what they say. My thoughts are also habitual just like my finger movements. If I have the same thoughts all the time, then I am on auto pilot because my behavior never changes. In order to know what is doing the thinking, I would want to see what is prior to the thought. When I try my mind silences and I do nothing. I then find nothing prior to the thought. The thing which thinks my thoughts is that which causes this body and mind to do things when acted upon. I might be the brain doing all of this, but I would need to see my brain and perform surgery on myself while conscious in order to make sure I am the brain thinking. I did my best with my contemplation. I don't know how to define progress in the context of truth.

Yeah bro but you have memories and are self-aware. Isn't God your higher self-awareness? Do you think that God is something impersonal which is separate from you (identity) and that's why you say that you never become it? Because God can experience nonduality while existing as everything. Duality is nothing but a mind problem when the Creator feels separate from its creation. You are God brosky.

Thanks, it seems to be more clear now.. I was watching the latest video of Joseph maynor, and he pointed out a subtle difference between nonduality and spinocha. I think the human levels are based on the plurality of consciousness, while I was looking at from a single viewpoint. And yeah I can cease to have a perspective and can switch modes if I don't desire it, very true.

@An young being I had many “nondual experiences” before I knew anything about nondual theory. I knew that experiences were unique, yet I didn’t even know there was a word for it. Then a couple people in my life told me “Oh yea, that’s nonduality”. I was like “There’s a word for it? What’s this ‘nonduality’ thing?”. I then started watching nonduality speakers and was like “Omigosh! That’s it. They know what it’s like!”.

The question makes no sense to me Edit: to clarify why it makes no sense to me: Nonduality is simply being. Has anyone experienced being beforw they knew about it? Ofcourse?! Only Everyone ever. Even your dog

I am a big fan of ASMR, so this video naturally floated on top of my youtube recommendations. Once I started listening, My nonduality started tingling. I have gone full circle as my ASMR and nonduality addictions merged into One video. Enjoy this masterpiece Choose how to use it, it may help you fall asleep and wake you up at the same time

Pretty sure Jed McKenna is Nonfiction. Martin Ball has some awesome Sci-Fi Nonduality novels. Check out his website.

I write Nonduality based fiction short stories. Got about 18 so far. Want to compile them into a book of short stories with Nonduality as the connecting theme.

@krockerman You’re writing of nonduality with “logic”, and you don’t realize you’re doing it.

@assx95 Nonduality, implying “not two”. So, is there a ‘you’ working toward ‘something’? Is there a ‘you’ which ‘took on ideologies’? Aren’t they as they appear - your own ? How could an ‘us’ experience not two? Ultimately, who’s belief is this climbing up stairs concept?

We're getting into deep philosophical territory here, but in the grand scheme of things there is no inside or outside, deities are part of your existence, whether you acknowledge them or not. In drawings about yoga and tantra, they are usually depicted as living inside you, with each one responsible for a different energy centre, like a gatekeeper. At each centre, you must overcome the challenges given to you and satisfy the gatekeeper deity, that you are ready to move on to the next challlenge. The highest gate is at Sahasrara, which is guarded by Shiva, if I recall. It is at this point that Shakti can finally reunite with Shiva and nonduality is achieved. There is of course only the Self, which you may call God, but it has many aspects. You are one of those Aspects, but your separation from all the others, including deities, is entirely illusory.

Your comment is thoughtful. Sometimes I feel that people use the word "God" (with it's capital G) to mean "revere this thing" and I wonder if it hearkens back to a Christian upbringing in some cases even if they are using it in a Christian context. -Although in some Hinduism it is invoked. I have heard some people say Yogananda sort of package his teachinsg to appeal to a Christain raised audience. For instance: "The kingdom of God" is used. Here he says "his presence", "his" is invoked You can read some of these statements and somebody with a Christian might relate to it. Then there is the is other idea out there "you are God". I have another thread on this Interestingly nobody replied to it. If "you are God" is that different from saying "you are a person" ? Are people "God" ? But you don't hear that. Are dogs God ? Is an empty box of Cheerios God? Is everything God or only living things? If "God" is a word meaning everything then why would somebody say "you are God"? People don't say "you are everything" because it is assumed yes, pick anything you want and it's part of "everything" So why the term "God" I believe the intent is "revere this thing". Interesting I make a thread "You are God" and I also put in an interesting second post later of the sayings of Swami Vivekananda. Nobody replies. Yet when atheism is brought up some people come in and reply offended by the idea What about "the All" ? what about "oneness" ? what about nonduality? isn't this all "God" ? I would say the word "God" does not have to used to express that. When you are in a Western country "God" has a strong connotation of Judeo-Christianity even if untended. What about saying "you are everything" or "we are part of a universal consciousness" "be one with everything" "energy" etc ? - because agreeing with that is not so easy to determine. People acknowledge that if they are on a football team that are part of team, by extension we are part of the universe. Even an atheist could acknowledge parts and sum of parts. However when the word "God" is invoked there is an expectation, say "God" back or you are not part of the team, and I am expected to write it with a capital "G" Reverence for a word. Is doing that really nondual? Of course "nondualism" is another concept, another word. But it doesn't have the same sense of authority, that humble yourself quality

I understand lol. I didn't have tolerance from a recent trip. But in general, I need higher doses for similar effect compared to most people. Both my 5-MeO trips have looked like exorcisms to the observer. It just tends to hit me hard, even when plugged. But that was 18 months ago. I might want to test the waters again. LSD was much smoother. The bilateral symmetry tends to suggest that I was energetically and Nonduality-wise open, but no exorcism.

Last night I had an intense solo tripping experience. The idea was to do a medium dose of LSD on an empty stomach, in absolute darkness. Dose: 500ug on a 24 hour fast Setting: At night, complete darkness + sleeping mask Intent: Forgiveness and letting go Understand emotional mastery Explore how I can live more consciously Trip Experience: Initial Paranoia: After about 30 minutes, I started experiencing mild effects and an initial paranoia set in, along with an intense desire to eat something (I didn't do it since it tends to blunt the intensity of the trip). Forgiving and letting-go exercise: I worked through the "How to forgive someone who hurt you" exercise and working on the meditation. I noticed how my heart is still not open and how much resistance I have to feel emotions. This is a significant sticking point for me. After the exercise, I contemplated for a while. Soon after that, the peak of the trip hit. Bilateral Symmetry: This is a common theme for me. As soon as I surrender and let go, my body naturally starts doing the bilateral symmetry yoga (which Martin Ball describes). I even tried to stay centered and contemplate further, but the body wanted to open up and move. During this, I can observe when the ego/self-talk comes in since an abrupt break in symmetry accompanies that. When the body is moving fluidly, "I" am entirely gone. It's as if the body is working through some residue energy. There was also some shaking and some vibrating. The Bee: I started working on letting go and surrendering my fears. Right then, a small bee came buzzing in and sat right next to me. This was annoying since I used to be afraid of bees as a child. What are the chances that a bee would come in and land in front of me at a time when I'm working on surrendering my fears (I haven't seen a bee in months)? This has to be the Universe testing me. I sat there, observing my impulse to swat that bee or go somewhere else, but I just sat there, letting go. I realized that all my insights are useless unless I can put them to use. The Buddhabrot: During the bilateral symmetry, a track started playing on YouTube, which had the thumbnail of the Buddhabrot from the movie "Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds". I saw it, and it hit me hard. I was looking at Absolute Infinity! Contained in this picture are infinite patterns, all of which exist all at once. An observer can, however, focus on a specific pattern and create a narrative by changing his/her focus over time. But all of it exists simultaneously, at once. I stared at this fractal for an hour, during which, I saw two hands moving in bilateral symmetry, I saw a jester laughing, I saw a dragon guarding a treasure. I saw the light and shadow creating a play of good and evil. I saw a Goddess, I saw the Buddha figure, and I eventually saw two eyes staring back at me in the middle of the image. I realized I was literally looking at God! I stared at those two eyes as an entire universe sprawled out of nowhere and then vanished back into the infinite fractal. I was moved beyond words. When I see this figure now, I'm hardly able to see anything, but I will look at it again when I trip. Purging: One consequence of my energetic opening was my body wanting to throw up and purge. I had nothing in my system, but that didn't stop my body from feeling nauseous and wanting to throw up. This correlated well with my emotional state of wanting to let go of my past blockages and old narratives. One big realization is that I am normally heavily detached from my body and am energetically quite closed. Meditation + more Bilateral symmetry: I meditated for a bit, and then the body wanted to move again. Eventually, it grew tired, and I went back to just contemplating. Lessons: With each trip, I understand how little I embody these insights in day to day life. Breath: After the purging, I can see that my breath is deeper, and I can see the energy move in and out of my gut better. For me, my degree of consciousness and embodiment is directly proportional to how deeply and openly I breathe. I understand Absolute Infinity in a much deeper way than I used to. 36-hour Fast was an excellent choice for this trip because it made it more potent. I will continue to do that in the future. Complete darkness also helped the trip, and I will continue tripping at night. Further: More fasting + Tripping I still cannot come to grips with the duality between God and Myself. I understand how I create my reality, but I'd be lying if I say that I understand God fully. Work on embodiment 5-MeO-DMT: It's been 18 months since I smoked 5-MeO. I still don't feel like I'm ready to take the plunge (or should I say the plug) yet. I need to work through some more stuff before I'm able to.

Ever loose yourself while having sex? And I mean really, really loose yourself? To the point where you're not able to tell who's doing who or what? ? it all just becomes a wave. A dance. Like everything else; this too can be magical and beautiful, or it can be straight on terrifying. ? Can't the man just enjoy some regular sex, for the Love of God?! ? How are things going for ya? Is sex still...sex?

Definitely don’t try to “get rid of” anyone or anything. That’s a narrative of resistance, because there’s no truth in it. Also, there are millions of people being authentic who have never even heard of nonduality. That’s another narrative. No. There is no situation, no occurrence, in which you are not in control. “IT”S JUST A STORY!!!”

Notice that as Roger Castillo has pointed out, the statement "you are not your body" is useful but it's only a certain level of spiritual teaching, and that there needs to be a step beyond that into full nonduality. That's easy to explain in relation absolute Truth being everything. So to say not about anything is a duality teaching. The truth is that we are the body, but not ONLY the body. We are everything. That's what absolute Truth means.

The absolute Truth Leo explained is very useful for spirituality. Because the ego only experiences dualistic truth including relative and subjective truths. And we can start with the concept of absolute Truth as everything. That's just a thought, a concept, yet it points to the absolute Truth and that is useful for spiritual realization of absolute Truth as nonduality. And what I will experiment with is if ego tensions can be dissolved along with a realization of absolute Truth. The ego's limitation of only experiencing dualistic truth is a false perspective and leads to inner and outer conflicts and keeps the ego tensions including the body armor and the pain body in place. Realization and actualization of absolute Truth will I predict dissolve the ego tensions.

One important consequence of the Wolfram model is that if it's true, then we don't have free will. I have noticed how in philosophy there is a lot of discussion about the need for free will related to moral responsibility. But I think it's very simple. Nonduality teacher Roger Castillo used an example of someone having been caught committing a crime, and the person claims that it was done without free will, and then the Judge replies: I understand that, and me sentencing you to prison is also done without free will. Haha, so that completely eliminates the question about moral responsibility in my opinion. And no free will in Wolfram's sense is still a form of free will in the sense that we actually have to perform our actions including personal choices and willpower as a part of the whole universe. Computational irreducibility means that we cannot "cheat" and jump ahead into the future. Regarding math, I have heard Stephen Wolfram mentioning that the math used today is very much a result of history and culture. It's just a slice out of all possible math. The example of "2 + 2 = 4" I gave was meant as a platonic form, something that timelessly exists. For example the notion "2" is just a label. In binary form the same expression is 10 + 10 = 100. So what I mean is that even without math, the truth of 2+2 = 4 still exists according to how I see it.

I have never heard of It's not upsetting. offensive and wrong is more apropos. Love is a feeling. It is not an idea where you can take the human out. That is dehumanization. Love is something a living being feels not an intellectual concept. You are giving me a relative scenario, picking a beautiful forest as an example and not a back alley of dog shit, garbage, medical waste and flies. We are talking about beauty here not love. It's relative. This same scene to someone born in that environment might be commonplace to them and a skyscraper or desert oasis might seem beautiful to them. As soon as you speak a word you are speaking relatively. So what is "unconditional love" ? Does that mean we love the smell of week old urine and rotten eggs? Do we love to watching children being tortured ? Do we love seeing a pile emaciated corpses that have begun to stink? Another way, the more common way this term "unconditional love" is applied is not love alone. It's a decision to be committed to the well being of another person no matter what. For instance a mother might say this of her children. Does this mean the mother is feeling love for her child 24 hours a day? No she does and thinks about other things as well. Does this unconditional love means she loves everything? No. Other children that are not hers she will not have the same level of commitment to. Unconditional love is not constant love nor is it loving everything. What about loving everything all day land all night long? That might sound like a nice idea but it's not humanly possible and it's not a good thing to love things like harming people. What about if we like the idea of oneness (nonduality) means we we pick some word that we like to be the oneness and everything is made out of it? That is cute but nonsensical. Is nuclear waste, vomit and piss love ? Or is it just the plants , trees and decaying branches that are love? Love is a tree or is it that you love trees? There's a difference. Again "infinite love" "Absolute love" "unconditional love" "purity" "perfection" These are all idyllic mental constructs. Some to say love is endless but loves ends, It takes time to realize this And then ones are born

For women’s perspective on nonduality, are you familiar with Lisa Cairns and Ananta Kranti? They are my two favorite female speakers.

So basically everything, life purpose, all your dreams, all hopes, all your aspirations, all your goals, all your different passions etc. should all be dropped when you want to become awakened? Because when you reach nonduality/infinity every duality will collapse eventually and you are giving up yourself, everything of yourself. So is life purpose then for example not just a big distraction that keeps you in the dream? Or all your passions. These things are just moving you farther and farther away from awakening because they are all coming from ego in the end, which you have to give up. I mean I try my best to give them up, but sometimes its really hard. Then why is Leo encouraging us to find our life purpose if its just a distraction?

Jesus Christ on a bicycle! That's real nonduality/duality right there bicycle, Jesus Christ/nonduality on a bicycle, with two wheels, get it? I'm sorry, but I wanted to say that all day and you gave me an excuse. But I mean really, there are jet skis now, so walking on water just isn't a real big deal, ya know? Pretty cheap of you not to just fork out the money for a jet ski. Changing hundreds, thousands of people lives and teaching a higher truth is really what Jesus was noted for, really. A few miracles thrown in there just for funsies, sure.

@Nak Khid When you immerse yourself in something and you feel good as a result, that IS what you define as love. I think your main problem isn't that you don't understand what love is: it's that you don't understand what nonduality is. When you follow relative love to its ultimate conclusion, to the point where you see through the distinction between self and other, you break through to Absolute Love. You realize that the love that you only extended to a limited amount of reality is actually an intrinsic part of all of reality, even the parts that you used to hate (death, suffering, injustice).

From my opening post You left these other things out form what I said in my opening post Love like all feelings comes and goes like the tide. People who are deeply in love and devoted adn commuted to each other but they are not feeling that love 24 hours a day and to attempt to do so, though impossible would be excessive and smothering. They encounter other people and situations they are not feeling love constantly. There are other emotions in this world. And let us not pretend that love is all there is to try to make it fit into this idea we may have of nonduality. Streams are not infinite. The have a time when they are formed and a time when they dry up. Any feeling is part of duality, fear, anger, love, sadness, joy, tranquility, excitement They don't have to be paired as duos of opposites. Every word and thought spoken here is separation. That we need to survive and communicate with each other right here and now. yes, it is an action, these variations yes, and one can even love ice cream. but is a hand grenade love? Is an electron love, is a shoe love? Is a cute puppy love? No, things aren't love. Love is a feeling and energy if you like from one being to another. It rises and falls, like the ocean. Things die. Others new born.