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Breakingthewall replied to ivankiss's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
Thought is a function of the human mind, created by the brain, created by life. It is another function, such as the creation of images from light reflecting on objects, or sounds from vibrations. The thought creates aspatiotemporal world whose center is an entity that perceives itself as a perceiver and thinker, and that is an energetic structure that we call the human psyche, but that is not really an actor but a product. When the self realizes this it gets broken, then the true nature of what is is manifested, the unlimited impersonal existence that flows. -
Breakingthewall replied to r0ckyreed's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
As I see there is not you, not a player, the only you is the self, this experience. The naked reality is just depth, but if you can open yourself totally to the depth then you realize that in the depth is everything, and the thing emerges. It's like the unlimited energy that life is, it's totally impersonal, nobody would say anything like: I am the creator blabla, no I, just a natural wild phenomenon totally unlimited that arises due the absence of limitations. No logic for this. You could call it god, but I call it the monster, the incommensurable. It's not you playing games, not far, I think that idea leads to a limited misunderstanding -
Someone here replied to James123's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
my friend..God is not Santa Claus.. it's not a bearded old man living in the sky who will fuck you in the ass and burn you in hell fire because you like to "touch yourself " before bed ...although that's what most people think that God is . God is the creator of this universe...and also the universe itself. Just like how you are the creator of your nightly dreams while simultaneously being one with the dream. He loves our missery..suffering. ignorance. He makes no excuse. He is not just some dumb impersonal consciousness floating around selflessly. He is a conscious entity . He is you . Look deep inside yourself. Who are you ? Find out. -
This time I'm reminded of the Buddhist path or as Yoda would say: "Let go of everything you fear to lose" but then also pull the carpet of "letting go of needing to let go" from under you. "Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water, after enlightenment: chop wood, carry water". I really don't wanna leave my identity/thoughts/ideas/emotions behind because its kinda scary how impersonal and "sterile" reality seems without them, like a random simulation, or even a material world without a consciousness to perceive it. But to understand anything at all, you have to transcend the system that encompasses a duality and impersonally observe what is happening without judgement, and that will dissolve a lot of previously comfortable dogma. It also encompasses the ability of accepting ideas regardless of whether they're true or not. For example, I'd like to continue existing in some shape or form after death, whether as god realized, reincarnated, as an astral form or whatever. But all of these are concepts and I can only speculate on observations, metaphors and wishful thinking. So I keep imagining a Buddhist master asking me why I would need certain ideas to be true. And oftentimes, I don't want to think about it because I'm scared of losing something, and I do, but at the same time as far as I know, I'd lose it anyway at death and questioning and expanding my consciousness doesn't really take anything away from me, as much as it dissolves the barriers within me. The contents still exist and are liberated because of it to take any other shape and form and I am always able to come back. But to truly accept and entertain the notion of taking a look outside the paradigm that includes something I'm attached to, it feel like jumping off a minor cliff. It's like the idea that if I mastered everything, I could do anything, but maybe no specific thing would be worthwhile to do anymore. Like I won't be able to realize my desires because my ego holds me back but if I let go of the ego, the desire might dissipate. Though that might really just reveal the truth. I am getting more optimistic though at allowing this process to happen. My awareness bubble of senses/feelings/thoughts is but a small subset of reality and possible experience, and although I try to solve all my problems from inside of it, I always end up at the mercy of the grander world which I am interdependent upon. So in the end, what happens happens regardless of what I want to happen and usually for the better. My ideas are faulty due to their limitation which is by design for me to be able to exist in time and space at all. Otherwise there would be no outside to observe and interact with to ponder and wonder at, to lose myself in. Everything is infinitely interpretable, is god materializing top down, or consciousness arising bottom up, or objects interacting middle through, psychic or material, its all united and interconnected at all layers in some shape or form, does life evolve complexity to survive better, or is survival just a step in the evolution towards a beautiful expression of experience. In the end, nothing is guaranteed and everything operates on faith at some level. I just gotta have faith that doing my best reality works out and not to be too obsessed with outcomes but enjoy what is, and how exactly is an infinitely complex question that nobody could live if they kept thinking about it to infinite detail.
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Breakingthewall replied to Theplay's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
God does things because it is alive, it is life, it has no bottom, it boils with life, it cannot help it, its intelligence and his complexity are inconceivable, its depth is infinite, but it is not someone. You are someone now, you are the being that perceives, but God is not that, it is the depth that exists, it is absolutely impersonal, unfathomable, unthinkable. It is not something, it is a well of existence. So it isn't god, its just no limits -
Breakingthewall replied to Someone here's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
Love is the flow of life, the substance of existence, what makes the birds be coloured and the trees grow strong and wonderful. Is the blood moving in your body, the perfect laws that govern the stars and the cosmos, the yin and the yang that flows from the abyss of existence. But it's wild, totally impersonal, formless, and it's what we are, just a bubble of love, or life , or existence. Love is not loving anyone, is flowing. I don't name it love, I name it life, but maybe are the same, god is not needed, of if you prefer, god is infinite life, but it's no someone, it's just substance, intelligence, depth. I feel it all time, that's awakening, you don't need to know anything, it's just being -
First some context: I am 31 years old and have been interested in meditation, self-observation and self-development since I was 20 years old. Today, I experimented with psychedelics for the first time, marking the beginning of a wonderful journey. I had wanted to try psychedelics for some time but was always a bit deterred, mainly due to legal concerns/sourcing issues. Recently, I found out that some LSD variants are legal where I live, so I decided to try 1D-LSD. I'm a fairly cautious person, especially when trying chemicals, so I thought 70 ug would be a good starting point, especially since I'll be doing this alone. I decided to trip on a Saturday, had no plans for the rest of the weekend, and had taken care of my responsibilities for the week. After waking up and showering, I took the tablets and went for a walk outside until the effects kicked in. It took about 20 minutes for me to start feeling the initial effects and 60 minutes to reach the peak. During the comeup, I felt some nausea and a little headache, but I was prepared for that. Upon returning home, I noticed visual changes; patterns in the carpet were moving and flowing into each other. It felt familiar to me; I had similar experiences in the past when I used to meditate more regularly and frequently than I do now. I sat on my meditation cushion and was amazed at how quickly and effortlessly I reached beyond my thoughts to the sense of "I", which sometimes is difficult for me. I could literally watch the sense of myself oscillate between small and human to impersonal and expanded. This, too, felt familiar, as I have been practicing self-inquiry for some time. After meditation, I had breakfast, and while eating, I burst into laughter without any apparent reason or funny thoughts. It just felt right to laugh, and it had to come out. Then I walked through my room, letting my gaze wander over the walls. I noticed details I had never seen before. In one part of the room, I have a picture of my brother who passed away a year and a half ago. I believe I have processed his death well. However, I sat in front of the picture and burst into tears. I cried for several minutes, convulsively, as if I hadn't cried in years. But I wasn't sad; over time, I cried out of gratitude. I was so grateful for the people who accompanied my brother and my family. After that, I felt lighter than I had in a long time. Slowly, I realized that the drug was wearing off, and I decided to take another walk in nature. The colors were still more vibrant than usual, but barely noticeable. I felt a great inner peace and thought to myself: It is possible to live like this every day. So connected to life. And yet, sometimes I am too lazy to do the groundwork for it. All in all, it was a very mild trip but it showed me the potential psychedelics have. I am looking forward to experimenting with higher doses in the future. Edit on the day after: I had trouble falling asleep, so I felt a bit groggy the day after. I don't know if it was just because of the lack of proper sleep or maybe some lingering effects of the drug. In my meditation session today, I was able to go more easily into my self-inquiry than usual, although not as easily as yesterday. Will be very interesting how long some of the effects will linger.
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Purple Man replied to TheEnigma's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
This comes as a synchonicity, since yesterday, after meditation, it became as obvious as to write it down that, as impersonal Awareness lies beyond the game of vibrational frequencies, there´s no ultimate Identity to search or find within the bubbles of individual consciousness and their unending vibratory forms and vibrational avatars and realms. What marks our real Identity is just the capability of being Aware, the very existence of Awareness, not the scope of a particular individual body-mind perspective. As Jackson Peterson said, "if you´re aware, you´re the Absolute". Once anchored as what we are ( unimprovable Impersonal Awareness), there´s no reason to not engage in "improving techniques" (energetic traditions, esoteric meditations, Light Body practices, etc.) that apply to the avatar (while the game is on, we better have a nice avatar), and we could do that without falling into deception or contradiction. -
What is the purpose of life? Who's to say who's thinking is "right" or not... it's all open to interpretation and there are many levels of truths. The behavior of human beings is in my opinion mostly genetic programming/destiny. Our egos are computer programs shaped by DNA and culture. It's all quite impersonal in the end, but we are all programmed to make it personal.
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Breakingthewall replied to khalifa's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
Yeah but did you really open yourself? I mean, everything that is said here about: I realized that I am God and I am creating reality, is interesting, but it is still a mental structure. The total opening is: total infinity without limit. There is no you that realizes and says: wow I am infinite and I am the creator, but rather you spill into the abyss and dissolve in the impersonal ocean of existence, beyond any realization. This is perfect, the more it happens, the better. Actually, knowing that this reality is an illusion is just structure. is to compare it with something that is not an illusion. In fact, knowing is something that is structure, it is within the totality. At an absolute level it is completely meaningless, it is something limited. the unlimited cannot be understood since understanding is something that occurs within it. awakening is becoming limitless, and the need to know or understand is greed that grabs and creates limits. This is what creates psychosis and problems. the total break does not create problems, it is perfect -
deci belle replied to deci belle's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
Again, taking up the noted quote from Hongzhi's practice instructions, this time addressing the second part. "This is called taking up the burden from inside and is how to shoulder responsibility", is a reference to so-called selfless spiritual adaption where the whole world is necessarily not "outside", not beyond the true self, not separate. All at once, is generally a reference to the Absolute (nature of reality), in terms of the selfless nonoriginated perspective of sudden illumination. The task and responsibility of enlightening activity both before and after the sudden, is to actualize the expression of enlightening being, nonoriginated, all at once, without psychological differentiation between self and other. There being no outside (or inside) relative to enlightening perspective actualizing one's latent sagehood in the world, the ancient taoist elucidation defining all prior illuminates is that "the world is the sage." Unless one's working parameter is "all at once", albeit step by step along the dusty path of authentic self-refining practice in the midst of endless karmic cycles, there is no actualized latent sagehood to be expressed. Therefore, "…taking up the burden from inside to shoulder responsibility." is the basic directive of authentic self-refining practice in response to situations and the means to stabilize the enlightening operative of "perceiving nothing" whereby everything is illuminated fully without making personal distinctions in terms of inside and/or outside relative to the psychological function of individuals who see potential and adapt enlightenment to conditions. When you find the road (or even if you don't), all things act in concert. Settling into situations, one simply awaits inevitability in the natural course of enlightening responsibility. One simply shares oneself openly in selfless adaption, responsibly responding in accordance with the time in terms of situational potential. Awaiting the celestial in stillness, one observes return, which is the spontaneous arising of the celestial potential latent in situationally karmic creative evolution. Taoism says to "refine the self and await the time." The only thing necessarily "wonderful" about creative evolution, is the fact that there is no way to find and absorb potential but for the kinetic incremental action of all things acting in concert by virtue of karmic momentum. For enlightening beings and deluded people alike, karma is the only thing to work with. The deluded follow creation's cycles of birth and death, while spiritual adepts turn the light around to shine on its source. As referenced above, "East Mountain walks on water" is indicative of one's impersonal (spiritual) function beyond movement and stillness. So awaiting the time, per se, isn't simply a matter of passive stillness while waiting for inevitability's fulfillment in terms of potential, or, more commonly, conditional assumptions of personal ascendancy over others in terms of complacent opportunism (privateering), speculative advances, avoidance strategies, or kinetic nullity relative to attraction, rejection, obtund satiety or else mere existential distraction. Enlightening beings' perspective neither by movement nor stillness is the living bestowal of one's inherent potential in the midst of affairs when one has learned to "turn the light around." This is uncontrived, sincerely open vulnerability. Enlightening being isn't operative or passive conditionality. It also isn't a matter of active or passive approbation, in terms of societal convention, due to the reality of nonoriginated potential being the essence of karma. This means that at all times or even "in between", enlightening activity is necessarily inconceivable; no one knows. Spiritual adaption is a task of secrecy, carried out in broad daylight, due to the nature of inconceivability. As such, enlightening activity's mode of operation is by definition an "open secret" in terms of wu-wei. Some people like to throw around the term wu wei. But it has been defined accurately in the above post as "seeing nothing", that is, in seeing potential by not using the light of awareness to follow objects as if they are intrinsically "outside" oneself, on account of the world being the sage, there is nothing to warrant inside or outside differentiation or influence pertaining to impersonal enlightening response to conditions. This means enlightening activity is not dependent on personal influences or obvious circumstantial factors. Honzhi says, "Unobstructed and free, beyond restraints, they do not depend on even subtle indicators, and their essential spirit cannot be eclipsed." Wu wei is "East Mountain walks on water." But adepts aren't metaphors, so they swim in suchness. Wu wei isn't a thing, nor is it an event. It is a name for the essential character of one's functional enlightening being which is not to be conceived as a separate reality. It is the aware totality of oneself, unborn (before the first thought); spontaneous selfless response: "acting without acting" in everyday ordinary situations. Penetrating the profound reality of wu-wei is a never ending path for those with the "all at once" vision of suchness. This is the "tiger eye" (dharma-eye) of enlightening being(s). Watching over the task and function of the aperture of the mysterious female, one witnesses changes. In recognizing changes, one does not go along with creation. So selfless adaption isn't a matter of accommodating phenomena, it is inconceivable response to the time. In introducing the term suchness, above, it must be mentioned that Creation is already one's self, but response to other is why sameness within difference is spoken of in terms of suchness. The buddhist teaching of sameness within difference is a device to help those whose "stream-entry" is immature and fraught with instability. All students of reality know the instability of "stream-entry." But stream-entry is a conditional aspect of authentic practice that must be worked out sufficiently over a long long time before one can cross rivers, where one's life hangs in the balance. Nevertheless, one's steps are unhurried yet not lagging, progressing naturally, fulfilling (refining) one's karmic burden, until death arrives to compliment the dissolution of one's current temporal lifetime. Karma needs time. So adepts excel in waiting. Enlightening beings respond to the time in order to absorb potential from within the conditional. The temporal is inherently comprised of the nature of the absolute, so in responding to the time, enlightening beings respond to situations effectively by abstraction, which is seeing through phenomena without denying the characteristics of the phenomenal to aid nonpsychological "all at once" transformation without going along with created cycles of karmic evolution from within karmic spheres. Transcendent adaptivity isn't an accomplishment "divorced" from delusion— it is enacted by virtue of delusion; being the meaning of "turning the light around to shine on its source." The light of creation and the source of the light is one. Otherwise, the secret of potential wouldn't be real. Seeing is itself the functional aspect of suchness as is. Those partaking of ineffable reality do so by virtue of seeing alone. In seeing potential, one's acts do not rely on one's own power or personal motivation. Power is necessarily a matter of seeing potential, inherently so, by virtue of situational evolution itself. So in partaking of reality, real humans go in reverse, opposite the flow of creation. This is all there is to turning the light around spoken of in the Secret of the Golden Flower. If one gets this, one knows the meaning of the saying, "It is as easy as turning over your hand." Just this is entry into the inconceivable, spoken of as the Supreme Vehicle of buddhas, saints, sages, adepts, wizards and all prior illuminates. ed note: change "stabilizing" to "operative" in 5th paragraph; typo 9th; add last quote; parenthesis to enlightening being(s) in 11th; italicize "seeing" in 1st and 2nd sentences of 14th paragraph -
Water by the River replied to MellowEd's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
Agree on all points. Even the soul-game is an appearance, ultimately not real. But equally real or unreal as ones car, for example. And endures death, which the car can not claim when the scrap press comes along... "How wonderful it is that in the infinite ocean of myself the waves of living beings arise, collide, play, and disappear, in accordance with their nature" 2.25 Ashtavakra Gita And for (not true/full) Nonduality: Also agree. Nonduality is most often a merging/unity experience, where the separate-self/individuality can still be well and alive, and hijack the nondual unity-state. "I realized nonduality/Reality", "I am pure awareness", "I am God", "I am whatever", "I realized *whatever*". And what triggers most likely a unity/nondual-state with the separate-self still well and alive, later interpreting the experience in a way that doesn't kill/transcend but boost and extend the lense/filter/illusion of the separate-self to God-like proportions? What could that be? Or (true) Nonduality, to truly realize that one has ever been, always is, and never can not be Infinite Reality itself. That Reality is impersonal, groundless, empty and infinite, absolute potential, no separate-identity left, no inner-blabla-talk of any(!) kind still believed and not immediately cut off, seen as illusion arisings within ones True Infinite Self. The illusion is seen through.... Pure groundless Being is realized, containing this and any possible world/apperance. That (and only that) can end the suffering/(aka resistance to what is) which is the essence of what any separate-self is at its core. "There is no one subject to samsara, no sense of individuality, no goal or means to the goal in the eyes of the wise man who is always free from imagination and unchanging like space" 18.66 Ashtavakra Gita "When the sage has realised that he himself is in all beings, and all beings are in him, it is astonishing that the sense of individuality should be able to continue" 3.5 Ashtavakra Gita And even something with imagination and God and realization is in the Ashtavakra Gita: "Recognising [Realizing] that [all] things are just constructions of imagination, that great soul lives as God here and now". 18.28 The only thing I didn't find in the Ashtavakra Gita is Alien & company. But since its quite hard to contradict that Alien & company are also imagined and merely appearing illusions arising in the Reality of ones own True Being... But hey, what does Water by the River know? NOTHING. But that quite profoundly. Selling Water by the River -
Understanding Duality - Part 1 - Master List of 250+ Dualities https://youtu.be/FO3YtZwhN2k "Every stick has two ends." - Proverb Understanding Duality - Part 1 - Master List of Dualistic Cognition: Leo Gura delves into the essential nature of dualistic cognition, explaining that human understanding and communication inherently depend on creating dualities. He describes how dualistic structures like 'up vs. down' or 'success vs. failure' are fundamental to our interpretation of the universe and shape every intellectual activity, including science and philosophy. Creating vs Being Unaware of Dualities: Leo points out that while we constantly create dualities to comprehend the world, many remain unaware of their constructed nature, leading to misleading conceptions of reality. He notes that dualities such as 'man vs. woman' or 'progress vs. regress' appear to be absolutes, but in fact are temporary and prone to dissolution upon deeper examination because they are products of the human mind. Epistemological Law of Dualities: Leo introduces an epistemological principle stating that all dualities are untenable and destined to collapse due to the non-dual nature of reality. This principle challenges conventional thinking, revealing that perceived opposites are often a complex interplay of forces that become unified upon closer scrutiny. Collapse of Dualities Upon Deep Exploration: A key insight Leo shares is that when a duality such as 'man vs. machine' or 'progress vs. regress' is deeply explored, it inevitably circles back, demonstrating the unity between the opposites. This challenges our rigid notions and emphasizes the relativity and interdependency of dualistic categories. Consequences of Dogmatic Dualistic Beliefs: He emphasizes the societal and cultural challenges arising from clinging to dualistic beliefs, suggesting that these rigid boundaries will become increasingly blurred, particularly with technological advancements and changes in sociocultural norms. Issues with Carving Reality into Categories: Leo discusses the subjective nature of categorizing reality and the conflicts that arise from varying interpretations between individuals, such as defining outer space or what constitutes a heap of sand. He points out that disagreements stem from these subjective delimitations. Minds as Creators of Dualities: Leo stresses that dualities and categories do not exist in nature but are instead constructions of the human mind, tailored to fulfill individual or collective survival agendas. He rejects the notion of absolute categories, advocating for a recognition of their relative and self-imposed nature. Collapse of Dualities Is Threatening: Exploring dualities is viewed by Leo as unsettling for many because it challenges fundamental assumptions, threatens identity, and leads to potential existential crises. However, he encourages this deep exploration to understand the true non-dual nature of reality. Drawing Boundaries in Space: The perception of 'outer space' and where it begins is a human-made distinction without a clear boundary, exemplified by the ambiguity of whether a jumbo jet flying high or just being above the atmosphere qualifies as being in outer space. Living Cells and Human Identity: The determination of when molecules become a living cell or when a cluster of cells becomes a human is subjective and contentious, with significant implications for abortion rights and furthering the difficulty in defining human identity. Evolutionary Transitions: The challenge in pinpointing the exact moment an ape-like ancestor became human highlights the arbitrary nature of such distinctions, delving into the complexity of human evolution and identity. Defining Artificial Intelligence: Establishing the boundary between human intelligence and artificial intelligence is increasingly complex, suggesting future debates in computer science as AI advances. Thoughts and Emotions Intersection: The boundaries between thoughts and emotions are not distinct, as demonstrated by the interplay between thought patterns and feelings, particularly in relation to pain and suffering. Love and Hatred Duality: Love and hatred, commonly perceived as opposites, often merge, with hate stemming from a form of love, such as hating someone out of love for a person they hurt, challenging the simplicity of this duality. Resistance to Explore Dualities: Most people resist delving into dualities due to the existential threat posed by challenging fundamental constructs, which shape their worldview, self-perception, and practical life. Subversion of Dualities: Every duality is subject to eventual collapse, with human understanding being inherently biased and confused, leading to simplistic and dogmatic perceptions of reality. Categories Created by the Mind: The mind creates distinct categories to make sense of the world, then denies doing so, bringing forth ignorance and misunderstanding, reinforcing the idea that categories are not absolute but human constructs. Relativity of Directional Dualities: Dualities such as up versus down or left versus right are presented as inherently relative, contingent upon the observer's perspective and context, emphasizing the importance of considering different perspectives for deeper understanding. Limitation of Imagination Due to Categories: Rigid adherence to categories, such as even and odd numbers, can limit the scope of understanding, demonstrating the need for flexibility in cognitive processes to grasp more complex and nuanced truths. Relativity of "Shallow" and "Deep": Leo discusses how someone's perception of depth in books or ideas changes as they progress on their personal development journey, illustrating how what is considered deep now may become shallow in the future. Relative Nature of Good vs Bad/Evil: Leo explains that the concepts of good and bad, or good and evil, are relative. What may be good for one person can be bad for another, demonstrating the dependency of these categories on individual circumstances and self-agendas. Introduction to Absolutes: Leo introduces a deeper concept called "the absolute" or "transcendent" which is a level of consciousness that recognizes and transcends dualistic categories. It is not relative but exists without an opposite. Absolute Good Transcends Relative Dualities: He elaborates on "absolute good" (with a capital "G"), which includes both lowercase 'g' good and lowercase 'b' bad, transcending the duality and creating a unified concept of good that recognizes no opposite. Image 1 Understanding of Absolute Right and Positive: Similarly, Leo mentions the concept of "absolute Right" and "absolute Positive," which negate the existence of their opposites, asserting that everything is ultimately 'right' and 'positive' when viewed from an absolute perspective. Moral vs Immoral as Relative Concepts: Leo contends that moral and immoral are relative concepts, differing across cultures and times, and cautions against absolutist cognition that treats these as universal truths instead of individual or societal constructs. Conflating Relative and Absolute Dualities: He warns against the mistake of treating relative dualities as absolutes, as this confusion impedes access to true absolutes like absolute truth or absolute good. True vs False, Should vs Shouldn't Dichotomies: Leo covers additional dualities such as true vs false, and should vs shouldn't, proposing that everything that happens is what should happen, thereby eliminating dichotomous tensions. Transcending Good vs Evil: Leo talks about transcending the duality of good vs evil, suggesting that this leads to a more liberated state of existence, albeit one that can be intimidating to consider. Tug of War in Life: He addresses the persistent tug of war within politics, religion, and personal conflicts, suggesting that recognizing absolute truths can dissolve conflicts. Ultimate Solution to Duality: Leo concludes by hinting at the idea of awakening or waking up from the dualistic dream as an ultimate solution to the never-ending stream of problems created by the mind's dualistic thinking. Happiness vs Sadness: Leo examines the common pursuit of happiness in personal development and its inherent connection to sadness, as efforts to achieve success, relationships, or wealth inadvertently cultivate as much sadness as happiness. He suggests that seeking "true happiness" can lead to the discovery of an Absolute Happiness beyond these emotions. Old vs New: Leo explores how quickly something considered new becomes old, such as technology or fashion, highlighting the relativity and context dependence of these concepts. He questions the existence of true newness or oldness in the universe, suggesting everything's age is relative. Useful vs Useless: Leo discusses usefulness as relative to individual goals and needs, illustrating how changing one’s goals from money to love can shift perceptions of what is useful, and how usefulness can become uselessness, or even a detriment, depending on new objectives. Boring vs Exciting: Leo presents the relativity of boredom and excitement, observing how a video game or meditation can fluctuate between exciting and dull based on personal mental states. He raises the possibility of transcending boredom to always be 'exciting with a capital E.' Rich vs Poor: Leo reflects on wealth, noting that even the poorest in modern society live more comfortably than historical figures considered wealthy. He also delves into the relativity of wealth among social peers, suggesting it's your comparative financial status that influences your perception of richness or poverty. Normal vs Weird: Leo discusses society's pressure to conform to 'normal' and avoid being 'weird,' considering how these labels vary across time and cultures. He encourages embracing authenticity, transcending the duality between normal and weird to be authentically oneself. Black vs White: Leo challenges racial categorizations, explaining that genetic differences may not align with our socially constructed racial classes. He argues that acknowledging these constructs as such can lead to changing outdated survival paradigms that no longer serve us. Questioning Fixed Dualities: Leo urges viewers to question and challenge the categories they encounter, recognizing their fluid nature and self-made constructions, allowing for a better interaction with an evolving reality and a transformative approach to life. Race and Identity: Leo discusses the duality of racial identity, such as being African or European, and how individuals can become trapped in this duality, creating tension and conflict. To transcend race, he suggests that one must move beyond the notion that they are a particular race, species, or even a creature. This transcendence is part of awakening to the absolute identity, which encompasses all. Nested Web of Belief: Leo explains that reality is an elaborate construct of nested categories, with certain fundamental categories at the base that, if questioned, could dissolve one's entire perception of life, including the sense of having a body. He advocates for radical open-mindedness to contemplate the possibility that these constructs might not be as solid as they seem. Flawed vs. Perfect: The concepts of flawed and perfect are described as relative, with Leo suggesting a perception shift to see everything as inherently perfect, regardless of apparent imperfections. This view could considerably change one's outlook on life and is seen as a profound shift in consciousness. Clean vs. Dirty: Leo uses the example of fecal matter to illustrate the relativity of what is considered clean or dirty, explaining that these categories are human-made based on survival instincts and do not exist as absolutes in the universe. Wild vs. Tame: By discussing experiments with breeding foxes for tameness, Leo demonstrates the relative and gradual nature of these categories and suggests that with enough modification, what is considered wild can become tame to varying degrees. Simple vs. Complex and Other Dualities: He goes on to name other dualities such as simple vs. complex, wet vs. dry, and fair vs. unfair, explaining that people's perception of unfairness in life is a result of not transcending this duality to realize the absolute fairness where every being experiences all perspectives. Winning vs. Losing and Success vs. Failure: Leo emphasizes how the relative nature of winning, losing, success, and failure can entrap individuals' identities and affect their mental health significantly, leading to depression or a skewed perspective on life's purpose. Fake vs. Genuine: He questions the distinction between fake and genuine, suggesting that if a fake is indistinguishable from the real thing, it may cease to be fake, much like how sometimes fiction can contain more truth than nonfiction. Cowardice vs. Bravery: The line between cowardice and bravery is presented as thin, with the understanding that brave actions are often carried out despite fear and that bravery can be context-dependent. Master vs. Slave: Leo illustrates how the duality of master and slave is interconnected, with the master being enslaved to the paradigm of owning slaves, thus neither truly free. Superficial vs. Profound: He discusses the relative nature of superficiality and profundity and how the most profound understanding can often come from previous experiences of perceived arrogance. Arrogance vs. Humility: Arrogance, especially in youth, often leads to humbling experiences later in life. As individuals mature, they recognize their arrogance and grow to find it distasteful, leading to the development of humility. Violence vs. Peace: Leo suggests the controversial idea that peace can be achieved through acts of violence and war. He distinguishes lowercase 'peace,' commonly seen as the absence of war, from uppercase 'Peace,' the ultimate harmony of the universe, which includes and transcends war. Personal vs. Impersonal Universe: The universe is paradoxically both deeply personal and utterly impersonal. This duality underscores the profound nature of existence and the diversity of human experience. Innocent vs. Guilty: Discussions about guilt, innocence, and blame become dualistic traps, leading to complex ethical debates without clear resolutions. Past vs. Future: The future always becomes the past, and the past was once the future; this highlights the fluid nature of time and the continuum of experiences. Political Ideologies: Labels such as capitalism, socialism, communism, conservatism, and liberalism are relative and evolve over time, making their exact definitions and boundaries difficult to pin down. Legal vs. Illegal and Criminal Categories: These concepts are culturally and personally relative, leading to the insight that even those who enforce laws (like the police) can engage in criminal behavior, depending on one's perspective. Terrorist vs. Non-Terrorist: Leo touches on the subjectivity and danger of labeling someone as a terrorist without due process and how this can lead to serious miscarriages of justice and policy. Hero vs. Villain: Good storytelling blurs the lines between heroes and villains; the best characters embody both good and bad traits, reflecting real psychological complexity. Journey vs. Destination: People often focus on destinations but fail to appreciate that the journey and destination are inextricably linked. Ugly vs. Beautiful: Leo suggests that one can transcend this duality and see everything as beautiful, understanding that apparent ugliness is also part of a broader definition of beauty. Art vs. Non-Art and Harmony vs. Discord: These concepts, like so many others, are relative and subjective, always existing in relation to each other and dependent on individual perspective. Masturbation vs. Sex: In a consciousness where oneness is realized, all sex is seen as a form of self-love, highlighting the non-duality of the two activities. Student vs. Teacher: The best teachers remain students at heart, and the act of teaching can be one of the best ways to learn, demonstrating a dynamic relationship between the roles. Child vs. Parent: Every adult is also a child to someone else, and adults can sometimes be less mature than children, showing the fluidity of these roles. Healthy vs. Unhealthy: This duality is like many others—subjective and often dependent on perspective rather than absolute criteria. Product Development vs. Marketing: In business, the successful integration of product development with marketing is crucial, illustrating the interdependence of these aspects in the marketplace. Academic Departments: The separation of academic disciplines into different departments is an artificial construct. Many significant advancements occur at the intersection of disciplines, where rigid categorizations are transcended. Civilized vs. Uncivilized: What is considered civilized in one culture may be considered uncivilized in another—but wisdom and sophistication can exist in all cultures, regardless of these labels. Spirituality vs. Politics: While separation of church and state is important, Leo points out that politics benefits from spirituality, as it brings a deeper wisdom and values to the decision-making process. However, combining the two requires a delicate balance to prevent the corruption of genuine spirituality. Separation of Church and State: Leo highlights that organized religion is often mired in dogma and not true spirituality; hence, separation of church and state is essential to prevent dogmatic beliefs from influencing governance. Relativity of Importance and Significance: Leo discusses the subjective nature of concepts like importance, using the example of how 'mother' and 'father' may hold different meanings for someone raised by a same-sex couple. Democracy and Tyranny: He explores how democracy can give rise to tyranny, as evidenced by historical cases like Hitler's rise to power, challenging the clear-cut distinction between these political systems. Sober vs Intoxicated Awakening: Discussing the legitimacy of awakenings, Leo claims that both sober and psychedelic experiences can be genuine, even suggesting that some psychedelic experiences may access deeper truths. Duality of Need and Want: Leo examines the fluidity between needs and wants, illustrating that our perceptions of necessity are often based on personal feelings rather than absolutes. Pain and Pleasure Spectrum: Leo challenges the opposition of pain versus pleasure, proposing the possibility of enjoying both and the potential to transcend this duality to a state of joy that surpasses the incessant tug-of-war. Individualism vs Collectivism: Leo explains the importance of balancing individual and collective interests within a society, criticizing both extreme libertarian individualism and excessive collectivism. Theistic vs Atheistic Perspectives: Leo indicates that theism and atheism are not strict opposites and can be transcended, revealing a more profound level of understanding that can incorporate aspects of both views. Status Quo vs Change: Leo argues for a balanced approach to change and the status quo in politics, emphasizing the need for both incremental and revolutionary changes in government and personal life. Dominant vs Submissive and Other Dynamic Dualities: He elaborates on several dualities, including dominant versus submissive, popular versus niche, and temporary versus eternal, underscoring the necessity for balance and the possibility of transcending the temporary. Adding and Subtracting Positive and Negative Numbers: Using mathematical rules as a metaphor, Leo illustrates how positive and negative interactions in dualities can yield unexpected outcomes, suggesting counterintuitive overlaps. Work and Play Dichotomy: Leo postulates that work and play's distinction is not fixed, but can shift depending on one's passion and level of engagement. Content and Context: He discusses the intricate relationship between content and context in dualities, noting the nested nature of context within content and vice versa. Emotions and Rationality: Leo points out the false dichotomy between being emotional versus rational, emphasizing that emotions often underpin rational decisions. Private vs Public Life: Leo reflects on the interconnectedness of one's private and public lives, noting that actions in one sphere affect the other and the challenge of maintaining a balance. Competition and Cooperation: He highlights how cooperation can coexist with competition, even within the same team or project, showing the complex dynamics within dualities. Competitive vs Cooperative Dynamics: Leo discusses the paradox of needing to compete for promotions while also being required to cooperate with colleagues. This balancing act is complex, as cooperation and competitiveness often appear as opposing forces within a work environment. Danger vs Safety Balance: Balancing the need for safety with the potential benefits of danger is complicated, as seen in debates on topics such as gun control or the controlled use of psychedelics. Leo notes that while there are dangers associated with psychedelics, the risks have been over-emphasized, limiting their therapeutic use for conditions like PTSD and depression. Cultural Mainstream vs Cults: Leo considers the thin line separating cults from mainstream culture and observes that certain aspects of politics have adopted a cult-like psychology, challenging the distinction between what's perceived as ordinary culture and a cult. Transcending Ordinary: Leo suggests transcending the ordinary to experience an absolute state he describes as extraordinary with a capital 'E', where nothing seems ordinary anymore. Serious vs Playful Approach: He recognizes that humor is a coping mechanism in serious circumstances, with playfulness serving a vital role even in the face of trauma or significant challenges. Masculine vs Feminine: Leo goes in-depth about cultural trends and reactions towards femininity and feminism, articulating the red pill and 'men going their own way' movements as examples of a desire for hyper-masculinity. He identifies the questioning of gender norms and the normalization of homosexuality, yet there's resistance born from an inability to accept one's feminine side, culminating in homophobia. Nature of Gender Roles: The societal constructs of 'man' and 'woman', according to Leo, are mental categories imbued with enormous practical significance and associations beyond the biological. He notes that edge cases in biology challenge the binary view and elucidates that these mental constructs significantly influence identity, perceptions, and societal behaviors. Transcendence through Non-Duality: Leo argues that deep spiritual work enables the transcending of binary gender roles and the realization of an absolute state, where one embodies both masculine and feminine qualities harmoniously. Image 2 Image 3 Approaching Future Technology: Leo posits that technological advancements, including genetic engineering, will further challenge traditional categories and encourages openness to these changes for greater integration in the future. Cat vs Dog - Biology and Technology: Leo uses the hybrid of a cat and dog, as imagined in a cartoon, to illustrate how future genetic engineering might disrupt current biological categorizations. He stresses the importance of mentally preparing for radical future developments that will blend human, animal, and machine elements. Image 4 Expecto Patronum
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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
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Spiral Dynamics - Stage Green https://youtu.be/z_Gy3mTztgg "Money can't buy life." - Bob Marley "If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there would be peace." - John Lennon "If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine." - Che Guevara Stage Green Overview: Green stage emerges in response to Orange's limitations, particularly the unfulfillment found in material success, and transitions the focus towards building a sense of community and meaningful relationships. Values of Green: Empathy, compassion, equality, multiculturalism, peace, flattening hierarchies, environmental concerns, and human well-being are fundamental values for Green. Emergence and Transition: Green develops when Orange's materialism fails to satisfy the human spirit, prompting a shift from competition to cooperation and a realization of the collective's importance. Global Community: Unlike Blue's focus on one's own civilization, Green considers the entire world as its community, seeking harmony and equality for all, regardless of race or culture. Rejection of Materialism: The stage sees materialism as hollow and unsustainable and advocates for more humanized and community-oriented values. Health Crisis in Orange: An Orange health crisis, physical or spiritual, can trigger a transition to Green by highlighting the importance of enjoying life and relationships over relentless success. Green Values List: Important aspects for Greens include love, harmony, environmentalism, activism, rejecting greed, valuing diversity, and practicing empathy. Femininity in Green: Green encourages the expression of femininity, marking a departure from the patriarchal tendencies of previous stages and emphasizing balanced gender roles. Interpersonal Relationships in Green: For Green, human bonding, sensitivity, and interpersonal skills are prioritized, contrasting with the formal interactions seen in Orange work environments. Green's communal spirituality: Green values spirituality without strict religious dogma, embracing shared practices in yoga and meditation circles. Environmental consciousness: Prioritizing ecological awareness, Mother Nature's wisdom, and sustainable living, green rejects the notion of humans as mere cogs in a machine. Social justice and equality: Green focuses on protecting the vulnerable and redistributing resources to level the playing field, countering capitalism's inequalities. Inclusivity and tolerance: Members of the Green stage advocate for inclusive groups where everyone has a voice, demonstrating significant tolerance for differing viewpoints. Open-mindedness and intimacy: Green values open-minded attitudes, deeper intimate connections, and comprehensive sex education over the superficial, transactional approach of previous stages. Cooperation and creativity: Transitioning from competition to cooperation, green values creativity, beauty, and art for its intrinsic worth, independent of financial gain. Green entrepreneurship: While still valuing entrepreneurial spirit, Green's approach is tempered with humanity, contrasting with the profit-first mentality. Workplace inclusiveness: A Green leader nurtures employees, valuing their feelings and input, unlike the impersonal management styles of Orange. Rejecting material displays: Green prioritizes internal qualities over external material wealth and appearances. Individuality within Green: Despite valuing individual expression, there's a trend towards a collective identity, revealing conformity within non-conformity. Burning Man as Green exemplar: Burning Man festival is cited as an epitome of Green values, celebrating community, environmental responsibility, and artistic expression. Green in politics and society: Progressive movements, the New Age community, vegans, and political figures like Bernie Sanders are emblematic of Green ideals. Values transformation in Green: The transformation from "I the capable" in Orange to "We the accepting" in Green indicates a shift towards communal success and growth. Decision-making through consensus: Green stresses reconciliation and consensus in decision-making, favoring mutual understanding and dialogue. Emotional intelligence over rationality: Green prioritizes emotional metrics for success over quantifiable financial metrics that Orange values. Openness to New Age concepts: Green stage is more receptive to New Age ideas and alternative practices that might have been dismissed as irrational by Orange. American Political Spectrum and Spiral Dynamics: The U.S. political landscape reflects the stages of Spiral Dynamics with conservatives skewing towards blue (traditionalist values), liberals leaning green (progressive values), and businesspeople falling in between. Republicans reside between blue and orange (achievement and success), while Democrats are positioned between orange and green. Political Media and Green Values: Media outlets like CNN and MSNBC appear liberal to those with blue or orange perspectives, while in reality, they operate primarily from orange with corporatist leanings. Progressive political shows and hosts like The Young Turks, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Sam Seder's The Majority Report embody green values with rational policies and a blend of right and left-brain thinking. Distinction of Green Intellectuals: Public figures such as Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore, and Al Gore represent healthy examples of green intellectuals. These individuals, along with social workers and community organizers, reflect the embrace of green values like equality, environmentalism, and social justice. Universities and Green Ideology: Universities tend to foster a liberal and progressive environment, resonating with green stage characteristics such as social justice, LGBTQ rights, and post-modern feminism. This often comes into the crosshairs of critics like Jordan Peterson, who mislabels these movements as "neo-marxist." Critique of Jordan Peterson's Position: Jordan Peterson's conflating of progressivism with "neo-marxism" demonstrates a misunderstanding of green values and potentially hinders personal and communal growth past the green stage. Peterson's critiques stem from personal negative experiences and do not reflect the broader, more rational and down-to-earth green populace. Green Stage Misrepresentation: Labeling green values as neo-marxist or creating pejorative terms like "social justice warriors" unfairly demonizes the stage and creates barriers to personal development. Organizations fighting for abortion rights, pacifism, and environmentalism, such as ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and environmental NGOs, exemplify green activism, distinct from the unhealthy extremes represented by groups like Antifa. The 60s and Green Cultural Movements: The counterculture movement of the 1960s with figures like John Lennon and events like Woodstock express the green stage's emphasis on peace, love, and environmentalism. Modern examples continue this tradition with the legalization of marijuana and the support of psychedelics pioneers like Timothy Leary. Green Stage and Business Practices: While some businesses like Whole Foods may attract a customer base that appreciates green values, these entities often represent a mixture of orange ambition and green conscience. An example of the conflict within green ethics is the discontinued sale of rabbit meat at Whole Foods due to customer protests, while still selling other meats like beef and chicken. Green Sensitivity and Hypocrisy at Whole Foods: Green stage's emotional sensitivity led to outrage at Whole Foods for selling rabbit meat, reflecting a certain hypocrisy since they still sell beef and chicken. This event exemplifies the emotional decision-making and selective compassion characteristic of the Green stage. Green Affinity for Alternative Practices: Western yoga, reiki, Western forms of Buddhism, and other holistic practices are popular among Green stage individuals, catering to their preference for non-traditional healing and spirituality. Pope Francis' Blend of Blue and Green: Pope Francis exhibits Green stage values with his liberal stance on global warming and social issues while maintaining Blue stage religious traditions, showcasing a transition phase in spiritual and religious contexts. Anti-Vaxxers and Hollywood in Green: Anti-vaxxers and the liberal political views often expressed during Hollywood award shows reflect the Green stage's propensity for social activism and justice. Geographic Presence of Green: Regions like Scandinavia, California, and cities like San Francisco and New York are identified as having strong Green stage influences due to their progressive policies and cultural movements. Green Approaches in Governance: Green stage values influence policies such as denuclearization, equal pay, free college, universal basic income, and eco-friendly initiatives in societies that lean towards Green. Google and Apple as Green-Oriented Corporations: The work culture at companies like Google and Apple embodies Green values through their benefits, such as healthy food options and family care, albeit they still retain Orange corporate elements. Warning Labels, Safety, and Utopian Communes as Green Markers: Green stage is associated with an emphasis on safety through warning labels, the popularity of talk therapy, men being open with emotions, and the idea of living in utopian communes. Tragic Idealism Represented in "Into The Wild": The film "Into The Wild" symbolizes Green's tragic idealism where the protagonist's quest for simplicity and nature results in an untimely death due to lack of practical survival skills. Green Stage Public Figures: Public figures like Russell Brand and organizations like the United Nations embrace Green stage values with their focus on social justice, environmentalism, and global community. Green Stage Slogans: Phrases that epitomize green values include "Love conquers all," "Sharing is caring," "Make love not war," and "Everyone is equal." These slogans represent Green's emphasis on harmony, equality, and a compassionate worldview. Triggers for the Green Stage: Green is sensitive to issues like injustice, inequality, oppression of minorities, and abuses of power. Hierarchical systems perceived as unjust, like the Indian caste system, heavily trigger Green's demand for change. Additionally, Green is responsive to instances of unchecked capitalism, consumerism, corporate greed, and environmental destruction. Green's Emotional Sensitivity: The highly evolved emotional sensitivity of Green leads to heightened responsiveness to triggers such as human rights abuses, racism, bigotry, fascism, and incidents that symbolize these issues, like Charlottesville in the U.S. Progressive Frustration Due to Societal Backwardness: Progressives, associated with Green, are often frustrated by society's resistance to change. They envision an egalitarian, democratic future but find the process halted by traditionalist and conservative elements invested in maintaining the status quo. Unhealthy Extremes of Green: When taken to the extreme, Green's sensitivity can become overbearing, with people getting easily offended and adopting an unrealistic idealism. There is sometimes a lack of practical strategy and too much focus on dialogue without action. Green Stage’s Demonization of Materialism: Green may vilify materialism and corporations, mistakenly not fully appreciating their necessary role in society. Green believes in building upon and transcending lower stages like Orange, rather than replacing them. Green Stage's Lack of Appreciation for Lower Stages: Green may attempt to introduce progressive ideals to countries that are not yet culturally or infrastructurally ready, overlooking the importance and necessity of the previous developmental stages. Challenges of Imposing Green Values: Attempting to uplift people directly to the Green stage without meeting them at their current level of development is impractical. Efforts by NGOs and charities in regions like the Middle East or Africa often fail because they don’t address the people’s immediate needs within their cultural context. Green's Misunderstanding of Economic Complexity: The Green stage may oversimplify economic issues, believing that solutions like raising taxes or regulating corporations will solve problems, not accounting for potential counterintuitive effects due to the economy's complexity. Critique of Relativism in Green: Green can fall into a trap of false equivalence by asserting that all cultures are on an equal playing field, which can lead to denying the reality that different cultures have varying levels of complexity and development. Recognizing Developmental Levels: It’s important to acknowledge that different cultures and individuals are at different developmental stages, which is a natural evolutionary process, not a moral judgment. Naive Pacifism in Green: Due to Green’s emphasis on love and peace, the stage can underestimate the complexity of conflict, leading to unrealistic expectations that non-intervention is always the best approach. Green’s Struggle with Hierarchy: The desire to flatten hierarchies can lead to inefficient decision-making in organizations, as Green might de-emphasize clear leadership and decisive action. Integration of Pragmatism Lacking in Green: Green can suffer from a lack of pragmatic action and effective decision-making when it has not fully integrated the lessons of the Orange stage, such as the importance of financial management and job stability. Extremist Elements and Emotional Overreach in Green: The collectivist orientation of Green may create extremist elements, characterized by moments of mob mentality. Excessive emotional involvement can also lead to burnout or emotional harm. Green's Compassion Dilemma: Green may focus too much on one type of compassion (soothing rather than confronting), potentially leading to inefficient solutions in situations that might require difficult but necessary truths. Green Guilt: Feelings of guilt can resurface in Green, associated with not living up to its high ideals, which can be disempowering instead of motivating effective action. Green's Reactive Nature: Green may prioritize reaction over proaction, focusing on responding to existing issues rather than pursuing its own goals and agenda. Stifling of Independence and Entrepreneurship: In some societies with strong Green values, independent thinking and entrepreneurial spirit may be discouraged if they conflict with societal norms of equality and consensus. The Incomplete Embrace of Spirituality in Green: While Green talks about spirituality, it may fail to fully embody the deep non-dual states necessary for unconditional love, lacking the discipline required for profound spiritual experiences. Sense of Entitlement in Green: Some individuals in the Green stage might not recognize that their level of development is built upon the achievements of previous stages, leading to a sense of entitlement to certain life conditions. Green's Entitlement and Naivety: Green can show a sense of entitlement, forgetting its own developmental privileges compared to third-world countries. It also sometimes exhibits naive altruism, which can lead to impractical aspirations like helping everyone without acknowledging real-world limitations. Green's Denial of Differences: Green might idealize equality to such an extent that it overlooks significant differences between individuals and cultures. Although well-intended, Green's push for equality can evolve into an ideology that limits creative and pragmatic solutions. Need for Flexible Thinking: The key lesson from Green is the importance of a flexible mind, free from fixed beliefs. This openness is essential for the liberation of consciousness and to transcend any particular stage's limitations. Exploitation of Green Empathy: Green's empathy can be exploited by other stages, such as Red or Orange, leading to situations where Green's tolerance is taken advantage of, particularly in viewing simpler tribal cultures with romanticized, unrealistic perceptions. Green's Potential Missteps: Green's idealism can result in underestimating the complexities of societal issues, such as blindly integrating all without practical borders or management of resource allocation, as seen in the case of Osho's commune. Green's Societal Influence: Globally, Green influences about 15% of cultural through media, politics, business, charities, and NGOs, with up to 10% of the adult population at the Green stage. Green's governance style typically involves a mix of socialist and capitalist elements with a flat hierarchy. Transcending Green Stage Myopia: To move past the Green stage, individuals need to grapple with its limitations, study the Yellow stage for greater wisdom, and stop prematurely judging other stages, ensuring they fully understand and integrate the lessons from each stage before advancing. Green's dissatisfaction with neutrality: Green sees neutrality as a lack of passion for social causes, while Yellow seeks a systemic approach before engaging in activism. Criticism of demonizing other stages: Green tends to demonize stages like Orange and Blue, which causes societal polarization and stalemate, hindering progress. Green's pitfalls in polarization: Progressives fear that without strong opposition, fascistic elements will prevail; however, this reactive approach creates stagnation rather than change. The urgency of transcending to Yellow: Reaching Yellow is crucial for solving systemic issues in society, a task that Green's approach often fails to accomplish effectively. Green's perspective on social issues: Greens are encouraged to balance their focus on social causes with the understanding that society progresses at its necessary rate. Recognition of politics as ego: High-minded Green politics are ultimately another form of ego, potentially distracting from inner self-actualization. The necessity of business: Acknowledging business as a necessary societal component and that Green is not the final developmental stage promotes growth beyond Green. Empathy for different stages: Empathizing with why people at different stages can't immediately become Green is essential to move into Yellow stage thinking. Educational privilege and consequences: Greens must acknowledge their educational privilege and the rigidity in mindset that improperly educated people may possess. Understanding action out of ignorance: Accepting that actions from bigotry to violence arise from ignorance helps in developing more effective approaches than mere protests. Resistance to triggered reactions: Overcoming the impulse to react to societal ills with demonstrations alone, prioritizing love and tolerance, including for intolerance itself. Moving beyond simplistic blame: Comprehensive understanding of the causes of societal issues is crucial, beyond attributing them solely to politicians or corporations. Introduction to systems-thinking: Studying systems-thinking helps Greens see the limitations in their stage and paves the way for transitioning to Yellow. Addressing Green hypocrisy: Greens often decry societal issues while inadvertently participating in them, pointing to the need for self-reflection. Identifying Green mob mentality: Being aware of the excesses of collective action within Green is key to developing individual critical thinking skills. Integration of lower stages: Fully integrating the pragmatic aspects of Orange, such as learning through starting a business, is recommended for evolving beyond Green. Self-reflection and serious practice: Pursuing practices such as meditation and self-inquiry enables greater introspection beyond the surface-level expressions of Green. Educating oneself on higher stages: Reading about Yellow and Turquoise stages and Spiral Dynamics aids in transcending Green by understanding the complexity of societal evolution. Deconstructing social values: Examining one's social causes in light of meaning, value, and purpose is recommended to identify underlying attachments and ego influences. Financial independence and self-sufficiency: Striving for a career that reflects Green values without reliance on exploitative systems encourages genuine alignment with Green principles. Self-alignment and avoiding stereotypes: Abstaining from stereotyping based on the Spiral Dynamics model aids in the advancement toward higher stages of personal development. Designing Career Choices with Consciousness: Leo suggests individuals take responsibility by creating their own job aligned with Green values and not based on exploiting others or the environment. He acknowledges the challenge and fulfillment in this path, highlighting his life purpose course aimed at assisting this process. The Importance of Neutrality and Perspective: Leo emphasizes the superiority of neutrality over polarization, especially as one advances to the Yellow stage's "true neutrality," which involves understanding and accommodating all stages within the Spiral Dynamics model. Protesting and Advocacy Limitations: He acknowledges the role of protests but points out their limitations, stressing the need for a deeper, systemic approach to problems beyond simple protest and dialogue. Contemplation and Self-reflection are Key: Leo advises thorough contemplation and self-reflection to understand the limitations and traps of one's current stage and to integrate lessons from previous stages before progressing. Model and Stereotyping: Leo warns against using Spiral Dynamics to stereotype people and stresses the model's complexity, advising against using it to advance political agendas. He encourages viewing politics from an ego and meta perspective to transcend the polarizing effects of political engagement. Importance of Not Skipping Stages: Leo emphasizes the importance of not rushing through stages or seeking shortcuts in personal development. He recommends mastering each stage and learning all its lessons before moving on to the next. Collaborative Efforts: Leo invites individuals to contribute to the actualized.org forum, where they can share or learn about examples that epitomize different Spiral Dynamics stages, enhancing collective understanding of the model. Colloportus
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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
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Thought Art replied to ivankiss's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
@Breakingthewall What is this “absence of limits” you keep dwelling on… stop that. There is clearly relative limits all around you. The universe you are in is highly ordered. It’s not some slodge podge of random stuff that “exists out there”… I am not sure if that’s what you are saying. But, the universe isn’t dumb. Your intelligence is a finite slice of this infinite intelligence. God is dreaming up the entire universe. Speaking to you, reading this comment I see in my own eyes/ mind that you misunderstood my understanding of this which is still deepening as I continue in my work. From Gods perspective there is no difference between Santa Claus and the room you are sitting in. It’s all imaginary. Yes, God is this here now. You are what is here now. notice how limited your experience is in a sense. Notice there are things you can do if you want to. Notice you can design a life for yourself right now if you choose. Notice you can live this human life either consciously or unconsciously. Notice you can choose to be a creator or not. Your life is God’s mask. Saying God imaging reality is a lie is none-sense in my mind. From what I’ve experienced and what I’ve read and studied this makes the most sense to me. My understanding if that God exists without reason… which is the same as love. It need not exist in a particular way. God exists, and it shape shifts and hides from itself in these dreams. Your mind is God’s mind dreaming. Simple. You have intelligence, consciousness and knowledge because these are facets of God. That’s what God is… a solo dreamer dreaming infinite dreams. It’s a shape shifter with infinite will, capable of infinite creativity. God can create dreams for itself that have limitations, challenges, etc. It feels very real but this is the design of this particular dream we are in. This finite state we are in that is highly partial limited and biased. Reality being a “game” is also a partial perspective. It’s a lens you can look at this through. It’s not meant to be all encompassing. Okay, divinity is in everything. Yes, that’s what I am saying. God IS an impersonal force, and THE most personal force beyond the finite ego self. It’s actually your true nature but you are disconnected from God right now. There is no claim that God is doing things because it is bored… God is doing what it is doing because that is what God does. It dreams infinitely forever. This current moment is that infinite dreamer, that lonely infinite dreamer dreaming. Notice there is no “Sea of Yin and Yang” out there somewhere except what you imagine. Even in Toaist Cosmology my understanding is that they place “Mind” before matter. This Yin and Yang is the division that God is able to use to create relative divisions in itself to create its disguise or mask. When you have been human for so long, and lack consciousness to see that reality is an INFINITE MIND. Not, a sea, ocean, or physical universe…. It becomes more clear. This is my current understanding, which I approach with humility. Infinite mind is too powerful, too total, too completely self aware to be something random… to just being some lazy outpouring of yin and Yang, some messy limitless ness. Stop that. You are scared of your true nature. You lack infinite perspective as a finite human. But, I do think there are higher states of consciousness which is omnipotence which humans can access and from these states you can better understand the design of this dream, and why YOU as God, designed it. -
Breakingthewall replied to ivankiss's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
That worldview seems wrong to me on a fundamental point, which is that God has not planned everything like a video game, as Leo says, to say this is to have a deep wrong understanding of God. God is not someone who does things because he is bored, it is the intelligence and life that existence is, moving in an eternal dance. God does not invent the Aztec religion out of boredom, it is something that arises with the infinite combinations of yin and yang that reality creates by creating itself. When Leo says that a playful god who is love wants to have an adventure, he believes in Santa Claus, it is a lie, it is what he would like, and to be that omnipotent god even more. There is no creator god behind the scenes who hides things and then says: cucu! I'm here! no, god is this, now. If you penetrate below the surface you will see divinity in everything, even in the ritual sacrifices of Aztec babies, to do this you must cleanse yourself of all lies. And that thing about God imagining reality is a lie, don't you see the obvious lie in Leo? It is a lie to avoid facing the impersonal immensity of the living ocean that we are. There is no control, there is no knowledge, there is only absence of limits, and that is glory, but you have to be completely detached and brave to enter it. -
Breakingthewall replied to ivankiss's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
The ego is simply a superficial focus, and i think that saying: I am god dreaming reality, is also a limited focus. It is limited by the subject who performs an action and obtains a result. unlimited focus transcends that, and you realize that what is left is unlimited impersonal existence, absolute freedom, you could say that you are that, it may seem the same but someone who has realized this would not say "I am god creating the world", it implies center, and creating reality implies will and duality. this is limited. An omnipotent God is a limited vision, it's a creation. -
Breakingthewall replied to ivankiss's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
The few times I have had an openness let's say almost total, my realization is that it is completely impersonal, completely free and completely alive and unlimited, and the fact of being impersonal has made me laugh for 5 minutes , not because of something funny, but because of the total freedom of the unfathomable depth that lives. This is not thinkable, whoever thinks it is limited, the mind cannot. and the phrase: I am God creating reality, is wrong -
Spiritual Enlightenment - The Most SHOCKING Truth You'll Ever Hear https://youtu.be/Bsyplaii9p4 Video Purpose and Emotional Warning: Leo cautions that the video will address an advanced and critical truth he has discovered which can lead to emotional distress such as anger, depression, and confusion due to its profundity and obscurity. Rarity and Importance of the Truth: He asserts that this truth is understood by an extremely small fraction of the population yet is fundamental to happiness and well-being, emphasizing the truth's practical significance. Requirement for Nuanced Understanding and Open-Mindedness: Leo explains that society and education often fail to prepare us for recognizing subtle truths, which requires extraordinary open-mindedness and self-honesty. An Experiment as an Analogy: To illustrate how certain truths can be hidden in plain sight, Leo guides viewers through an optical illusion experiment to demonstrate that our perception can be altered even when the facts remain unchanged. Image 1 Concept of Incommunicable Truth: Leo introduces the idea that some truths cannot be communicated through conventional systems of language and thought, which might have inherent blind spots preventing comprehension. Blind Spots in the Psyche's Design: He speculates that the formation of our psyche itself is based on certain fictional or false foundational elements that create blind spots, influencing our perception of reality. The Psyche's Protection Mechanism: The video details that the psyche defends its structure and the pursuit of truth necessitates dismantling this structure, which can be emotionally unsettling and fear-inducing. Challenging Established Reality Models: Leo acknowledges that confronting one's lifetime of built models of reality can be terrifying and the dissolution of these models is part of the truth discovery process. Journey to Discover Truth: Leo emphasizes that the truth he speaks of can only be realized through a personal empirical journey requiring independent exploration and not through simple means like watching a video. Approach for Rational Minds: The video targets rational and scientifically-minded individuals, reassuring them that the journey does not involve mysticism or New Age beliefs but is rooted in self-reliance and empirical investigation. Need for a Unique Investigation Process: Leo notes that the process for investigating spiritual enlightenment is novel and requires a different mindset than academic research or standard spiritual practices. Ultimate Open-Mindedness and Embracing Paradox: He states that journeying towards this truth demands an extreme level of open-mindedness, willingness to hold paradoxical ideas, a genuine desire for truth, and a balance of objectivity and healthy skepticism. Psychological Tricky of the Psyche: In an effort to reveal the truth, Leo warns viewers to be conscious of the psychological manipulation their psyche may employ to prevent them from recognizing the truth, reinforcing the importance of self-awareness throughout the investigation. Emotional Reaction to Truth: Leo instructs viewers to closely observe any emotional reactions that may arise upon hearing the truth he is about to share, emphasizing the importance of merely observing these reactions without judgment. Concept of "You": He guides viewers to become acutely aware of the present moment and their sense of existing within it, urging them to connect deeply with the sensation of being the experiencer of life. Revelation of Illusion: Leo reveals that the fundamental feeling of being an experiencer, or the 'you' at the center of existence, is an illusion and does not exist in physical reality. Accepting the Implausible Truth: He acknowledges the difficulty for viewers in believing this truth, distinguishing between accepting it as a belief and having a direct experience of it. Non-Existence of the Perceiver: Leo presents the idea that there is no entity actually perceiving the world, including one's own hand; rather, what exists are perceptions by themselves without a perceiver. Ownership, Perception, Matter - Illusions: He explains that the sense of ownership over body, thoughts, and perceptions is fictitious, as is the distinction between perception and physical matter. Reality is described as a non-localized field of awareness, rather than as a collection of discrete objects perceived by an individual. Impersonal Nature of Life: Spiritual enlightenment is said to reveal the completely impersonal and neutral nature of life, suggesting that personal attachments and beliefs are ultimately constructs. The Illusion of Free Will: Leo states that the control we feel we have over our actions, decisions, and bodily functions is part of the illusion; this control is not exerted by any internal entity. Dismantling the Construct of the Psyche: To truly grasp this truth, one's psyche and its constructs must dissolve, leaving only raw reality which is not separate from oneself. The True Self Paradox: Leo describes the 'true self' as a paradox, being both nothing and everything, indicating that this can only be truly understood through experience, not through belief or faith. Direct Empirical Investigation: He concludes by emphasizing that spiritual enlightenment and this ultimate truth cannot be taken on belief but must be discovered through personal empirical investigation. Reality Minus Personal Additions: Reality is as it is without the influence of personal perceptions, therefore understanding reality requires the subtraction of the personal self. Emotional Reactions as Indicators: Leo encourages viewers to be mindful of their emotional reactions to his words, seeing them as indicators of understanding and resistance within the psyche. The Outrage of Literal Truth: He presents the idea that the truth he has shared is outrageous not because it is embellished, but because it is literal, challenging the comfort of metaphoric interpretation often found in spiritual texts. Deception by the Communication System: Leo suggests that viewers' objections and internal counter-arguments are evidence of a flawed communication system within the psyche that creates blind spots. Questioning the 'You' at the Center: The central assumption being questioned is the notion that each individual is at the center of their universe, a fallacy similar to the ancient belief in an Earth-centered cosmos. The Inner Voice's Truthfulness: Leo points out that the subtle voice within, which we use to label and define reality, might not be truthful but arbitrary, thus distorting our perception of reality. Layers of Stories Defining Reality: He argues that what we believe to be 'true' stories about reality are actually just layers of narratives validating each other, leading to a skewed conceptualization of what is real. Stripping away layers to Uncover Reality: The process of spiritual enlightenment involves stripping away layers of conceptualized reality to reveal the raw, undistorted truth devoid of the self. Necker Cube Optical Illusion: Leo uses the Necker Cube optical illusion to symbolize the importance of perspective in understanding reality, showing that a change in perception can significantly alter the experience of an unchanging image. Image 2 Misattributed Semantics: He clarifies that the reinterpretation of reality is not just an argument of semantics but has real implications for suffering and trauma in life, stemming from the false sense of self. Societal Unawareness and Distractions: Leo reasons that society's focus on distractions, groupthink, and cultural conditioning prevents most people from recognizing and discussing the profound truth about self-awareness. Religion's Original Intention and Distortion: He acknowledges that while religions were meant to convey spiritual truths, they have distorted the message, leading people to be religious without truly understanding the core truth. Communication as Part of the Psyche: Leo stresses that communication inherently presumes that its conveyed stories are true, which blinds us to the possibility that communication could be an empty shell of arbitrary labels. Proof Beyond Communication: Lastly, Leo addresses the demand for proof, highlighting that due to the nature of the psyche and communication, traditional proof might not capture the essence of the truth he is presenting. Misconceptions about Scientific Proof: Leo emphasizes that people often seek external scientific proof as a defense mechanism when facing challenging ideas about self and consciousness, which are inherently internal experiences. Internal vs. External Investigation: He articulates that science focuses on external metrics such as quantities and distances, which are not applicable to the internal subjective phenomena that he is discussing. Consciousness and Materialism: Leo points out that science struggles to explain the relationship between matter, energy, and consciousness. He introduces the concept of qualia, or subjective experience, which science has yet to adequately address. Empirical Investigation of Self: Leo urges viewers to conduct personal empirical investigations into their own selves, as this cannot be done by an external party. Inherent Difficulty in Understanding: The difficulty in grasping Leo's message stems from the existence of a self that needs to dissolve for true understanding to occur, a concept that many spiritual traditions refer to as "ego death." Deep Self-Honesty Requirement: Leo argues that self-honesty is critical in recognizing the inherent dishonesty or unconsciousness of self, necessary to realize that the self does not exist. Resistance to Unpleasant Truths: Communications about such profound truths face resistance because they are nuanced, unappealing, and often result in defensive emotional reactions from individuals. Society's Preference for Low-Consciousness Content: He criticizes society's tendency to propagate low-conscious content like fast food and simple entertainment, which hampers the spread of complex, uncomfortable truths. Time Investment for Truth: Leo specifies that a significant time investment, potentially thousands of hours, is required for individuals to fully grasp the truth he is discussing through their personal investigations. Rewards of Spiritual Work: Despite the challenges, Leo lists several rewards of undertaking this spiritual work, including access to ultimate truth, lasting happiness, freedom from self-image issues, emotional mastery, a true understanding of religion, and the elimination of the fear of death. Necessity of Personal Investigation: Leo reiterates the need for personal investigation and warns against seeking external validation or proof from the scientific community, as the journey to understanding is deeply internal and personal. Value of Knowing the Truth: Leo asserts that understanding the truth about spiritual enlightenment is intrinsically rewarding, regardless of any immediate impact on one's life. He identifies concerns about life becoming miserable as a product of the ego, which is focused on feeling good. Ultimate Pleasure Post-Enlightenment: He suggests that the greatest pleasure in life is found after enlightenment, where worries, frustrations, and the incessant 'rat race' cease, as the concept of 'self' is dissolved. Infinitesimal Success Rate: Leo acknowledges that exceedingly few people will achieve the rewards of enlightenment due to fear and resistance to the challenging process involved. Exclusive Path to Rewards: He emphasizes that spiritual enlightenment is the singular means to attain these rewards, dismissing other avenues as ineffective in providing true happiness and understanding. Disturbance as Awareness Catalyst: The purpose of the video, according to Leo, is to create a disturbance within viewers' minds, drawing attention to the importance of a serious and self-honest investigation into their true nature. Importance of Post-Video Reflection: Leo encourages viewers to seriously consider the content and not become distracted by other aspects of life, as this tendency often leads to people forgetting about their pursuit of spiritual truth. Recognition of Emotional Reactions: He points out that viewers' emotional responses to the video provide evidence of the ego's deception and are an essential aspect of the proof they seek about the nature of their existence. Potential Dangers Following the Video: Leo highlights three dangers one might encounter after watching the video: outright rejection, misinterpretation as belief rather than insight, and being sidetracked by life's distractions. Tentative Hypothesis Approach: Viewers are advised to treat the content as a hypothesis and undertake their own empirical and investigative work to understand the truth, rather than simply believing or dismissing it. Process of Ego Dismantling: He suggests that upcoming videos will guide viewers on how to undertake the process, which involves deconstructing ego and beliefs, leading to an eventual surrender and recognition of truth. Excitement for the Journey: Leo expresses his passion for spiritual self-investigation, despite emotional hardships, and looks forward to sharing his insights and practical techniques to aid viewers in their journey. Call to Action: Leo concludes by encouraging viewers to engage with his content by signing up for his newsletter, sharing the video, and preparing for a metaphorical 'marathon' towards spiritual enlightenment. He promises to provide further guidance and support through his advanced upcoming videos. Petrificus Totalus
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If you laugh, someone will shout at you. If you have interesting ideas, you're told to shut up. If you wanna start something, you're told to give up because others have tried. If you wanna relax, people tell you about their drama. If you wanna solve a problem, they'll overwhelm you with buts. If you wanna immerse yourself in an activity, someone will disrupt it and question its purpose. If you happen to be late, the boss will shout at you until you look distressed. If you're not stressed in general, people will take offense. If you wanna travel, people will tell you to stop. If you wanna leave toxic relationships or work, they'll tell you you're ungrateful. If you wanna study science, they'll tell you you're too stupid for that. If you wanna go for a walk, they'll tell you it's too cold. If you wanna try yoga, they'll call you a hippie. If you're successful, they'll resent you. If you're poor, they'll tell you to get your shit together. If you lose, they'll make fun of you. If you win, they'll spread rumors about you. If you wanna make a change, they'll call you a liberal. If you don't, they'll call you conservative. If the change is too big, you're a radical. Else a fundamentalist. It's legal to kill your organs with cigarettes, it's legal to numb yourself and kill your brain and relationships on alcohol. Psychedelics create a movement of love and peace, so clearly since happiness is illegal, you gotta outlaw that. Too disruptive. Can't have people being all lovey-dovey, better to put them in the prison–industrial complex for being too threatening with their happiness. You have to be serious, wear a suit, build up at least 20 million simulations of sophisticated lies to appear sane in society. You get homeostatically reassimilated at every turn. You get re-ego-ated at every turn, you get fed the same fearmongering at every turn. You are expected to work useless robotic jobs to earn impersonal cash that you're expected to spend on the same useless overpriced things and never try anything else. The thing we have to be conscious of is the reason why we seek spirituality, because we're not it. Why? Because we're being forcefully reintegrated through the social matrix at every turn. So we just have to account for all of that. That's not hard, the problem is that our mind tries to justify and take sides, believe in consensus, rationalize that it's appropriate. And then it's easy to lose oneself in it, trying to work from within the same system for something that it is designed to take away. Happiness is a currency, love is a currency. Teachings are disruptive, because we're intending to cheat the system and rewrite value.
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Keryo Koffa replied to Judy2's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
The problem is, you're relying on the world beyond your control, but that world sucks. It sucks as long as it's out of tune with your needs. But it never cared about our needs. And what you yearn for most deeply is only ever based on what's inside your heart. The world is made of countless forms, and you've learned to yearn for those you lost. Being comforted feels good but can you see how impersonal that process is? We know nothing about you, not the trillion things that define you. Only you know. Grief and feel into the meaning you lost. And then take care of yourself, don't repress it. -
Guest replied to Thought Art's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
What I really like about Taoism is that they don't have this silly idea of a personal creator God that is characteristic of all Abrahamic religions (and which of course has left its indelible imprint on the way that God is being conceptualized even in modern Western spirituality) but rather view the Tao as a purely impersonal force that cannot be grasped or described in any way (and has nothing to do with the concept of "you"). It's a decidedly naturalistic and down to earth philosophy, without all of the airy-fairy fluff that us poor heirs of Christianity are burdened with. And of course, the Yin Yang symbol is the perfect encapsulation of reality... the undivided whole becoming visible (=> experienceable) through apparent division. It really doesn't get any more precise than that. -
Water by the River replied to Javfly33's topic in Spirituality, Consciousness, Awakening, Mysticism, Meditation, God
Sure. Ken Wilber said in the Interview-Series "Cosmic Consciousness" to Tami Simon that nobody on the planet is resting 24/7 in his True Nondual Being, enlightened or not. When True Reality clouds over with remaining ignorance, it is a hint from Reality which parts of the separate self are not yet seen through and still have the potential to "cloud" awakened Nonduality/Awareness. The question is then: Does one know ones True Being/Nature (impersonal enlightenment), and can one re-establish that nondual infinite awakened state immediately by just reaching out? Peak to Plateau to permanent. The deciding shift is realizing what that True Being really is. That gives to possibility to re-establish that by just "reaching out".