Hope this helps to slowly dissolve the Materialist Paradigm (+ some pointers)

[Preetom]

Recently Leo revealed that probably the greatest obstacle to Enlightenment is the deep seated materialist paradigm. I wish I knew it 5 years ago lol. It takes wisdom just to start appreciating what is being said in this statement. Anyway, contemplate on this quote of Nisargadatta Maharaj (from the book ''I AM THAT'') to loosen the grip of materialist paradigm little by little.

''Q: Surely there is a factual world common to all!

Maharaj: The world of things, of energy and matter? Even if there were such a common world of things and forces, it is not the world in which we live. Ours is a world of feeling and ideas, of attractions and repulsions, of scales and values, of motives and incentives; a mental world altogether. Biologically we need very little; our problems are of a different order. Problems created by desires and fears and wrong ideas can solved only on the level of the mind. You must conquer your own mind and for this you must go beyond it.’’

Some important pointers (SAVE YOURSELF DECADES of FRUSTRATION):

1) Educate yourself PROPERLY about Enlightenment. Watch Leo's recent advanced self inquiry video and Enlightenment introductory videos dozens of times if necessary until you conceptually 'get' this. One of the greatest dangers is learning about enlightenment in pieces from youtube mini videos, blogs, random books. I remember wasting 4-5 years bullshiting myself thinking that I was getting enlightened when I was reading Tolle's books and other flowery/inspirational words (No disrespect to Eckhart!) all the while not even knowing what I was really after. I think the reason you 'seek' and remain restless is not because you're over conceptualizing but rather you're NOT interested in it enough. If you truly started to get the ground rules of this work, you'd automatically reduce seeking and start the actual practice. If you're looking for temporary solutions from mini clips of various gurus or still think Enlightenment is another trophy to be put on your showcase then just forget about Enlightenment and stop wasting your time. You're only gonna delude yourself more and more.

2) If you're pursuing Enlightenment through Self Inquiry then THIS IS THE HEART OF THE MAIN WORK.

Stage 1: The process is called Self-discrimination. ''Right now, who is aware?'', ''Who is the perceiver?''. Inquire into these questions relentlessly both through sitting meditation and all throughout the day whenever you remember it (+ solo retreat). Discriminate between what YOU ARE (the witnessing presence) and what you are NOT (All your experience aka perceptions, emotions, thoughts). Actively negate everything you are NOT. Remember, whatever you can 'point' to is an object and it is NOT YOU, no matter what the state or thought maybe. This is where the REAL Enlightenment work taking place. You're healing your mind from the addiction of clinging/identifying with 'objects' and turning it inwards....slowly 'convincing' it that THE SELF is not an object. Do this for a few 100s of hours 

Stage 2: Self discrimination becomes Self abidance. It is when you've finally given up the expectation of finding yourself as an Object. This is the advanced level self inquiry where you are NOT searching for anything but rather just resting in Being, resting in total observation...until a discontinuous jump/Enlightenment occurs. ''Am I Aware?'' can be a powerful question to cut through the seeking of object and returning to Being instantly. Be totally interested in the 'experience' of being aware. See through the belief ''I AM This or that'' and just rest in ''I AM''. Its a relaxation of your attention from a particular object. In this stage sudden enlightenment can happen. Might take 1 minute or 1000 hours or more. But have faith in the process. Trust that resting in your being and not seeking to find yourself as an object in 'an objective world' is the best thing you can do on your part to get Enlightened. The rest in upon grace 

Stage 3: The embodying of your Enlightenment which will continue until the death of the body. In a nutshell, it is the unifying realization that what you negated earlier as objects are nothing but Being and made of the same substance as you. In fact ONLY THE SELF EXISTS. No body/brain/thought/mind/ego/world. Your nature of perception/experience and response will keep embodying the Truth and undergo transformations until the last breath (if you are sincere and open to it of course). Anyway, stop worrying about this stage now. I think the biggest mistake many Enlightenment teachers make is talking from their embodying experience AFTER Enlightenment. They sort of forget what a cunning bastard their own minds were and how much they bullshited themselves and so they forget to warn the students about this. You get easily tantalized by their flowery words and loose sight of the actual Enlightenment work that needs to be done. And then what do you do?? You start 'believing' them and live your life on what Adyashanti calls ''a steady spiritual junk food diet''. And BOOM!! 20 years of life is gone 

WORDS of CAUTION: DO NOT TRY TO SKIP STAGES. IT WILL ONLY BACKFIRE AND MAKE THE JOURNEY EXPONENTIALLY LONGER. IT WILL WEAKEN YOUR VISION AND KEEP YOU STUCK IN A RUT.

If you are new, at first invest few months just educating yourself+building meditation habit. Then start the ruthless Self-discrimination process (Stage 1). When you've started this practice, you're not seeking for more accurate 'theory' anymore. Books/Lectures can only inspire you and keep you on the path. Words of Ramana Maharshi/Nisargadatta Maharaj can be powerful pointers for this stage.

If you've been doing self inquiry for a while and can intuit the folly of this 'material world' and fairly convinced that you can't be an object, then move on to the Stage 2 (Self abiding). You should feel a genuine desire for truth by this point. So things like how long will it take to be enlightened or weather it will happen or not will slowly stop bothering you as you get acquainted with Being more and more. Rupert Spira can be an excellent teacher starting from this stage.

 

PS: I AM NOT ENLIGHTENED. Its just that I find totally irrelevant posts made by many people here who remind me of myself. They are totally wasting years of their lives trying to gather the bits of pieces here and there from heresay. I hope this post can awaken at least 1 person from his/her delusion of getting enlightened just through reading Tolle/blogs/videos (Once again! No disrespect to Eckhart. I love him!! ) and playing video games. If not, then it will be here as a reminder for myself   

Edited February 3, 2018 by Preetom

[Preetom]

Further notes on materialist paradigm

 

[MarkusSweden]

@Preetom Great posts, I see what you are saying. This is the first step to see the illusion of materialism. 

Now you know that the materialist paradigm is false. Thats good! 

Next step is to see that there is no paradigm to dissolve at all..

The paradigm is just a thought!

The idea that there is something to dissolve is just a thought!

The believe that others thinks materialism is true is yet another though. 

Can you see that nothing exist in absence of those thoughts? 

OP is just a long set of thought that rant against the thought that materialism is true. No thought is better or worse. 

Drop them all together and this whole thread didn't need to exist! (although it's a good one)  

[Preetom]

@MarkusSweden

Now we're getting into the heart of the matter! Thanks for the reminder. I can see how I am wasting my time here 

''The best teaching is in silence''

But who really buys that? 

Edited February 3, 2018 by Preetom

[Nahm]

@Preetom On point! Great post.