I am enlightened. Sincere seekers: ask me anything

[B_Naz]

Just now, exhale said:

I have always been open to (though skeptical) that non-duality is the absolute truth of reality.  How can I understand that it isn't just a concept, and is in fact, reality.  

Because you're using your mind to check if non-duality is reality. 

You need to stop using your mind to come to conclusions and need to listen to your heart and awareness 

[winterknight]

1 minute ago, exhale said:

I have always been open to (though skeptical) that non-duality is the absolute truth of reality.  How can I understand that it isn't just a concept, and is in fact, reality.  

Intellectually, all you can hope to be is open and interested in the possibility. Then, to be truly convinced, you have to experience it for yourself. Follow the path. 

[Jack River]

Awareness puts order in thought. Awareness is aware of conclusive assumptions and reactions that arise from them. 

The intellect is an extension of intelligence. Awareness puts order in the intellect so it can run straight. 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Jack River

[exhale]

2 minutes ago, B_Naz said:

Because you're using your mind to check if non-duality is reality. 

You need to stop using your mind to come to conclusions and need to listen to your heart and awareness 

I say this with complete sincerity, and not trying to be antagonistic, but... that is exactly what the church-folk say...  There is a man in the sky, and a heaven for good people...  Can you see why this explanation is not satisfying to me? 

 

[Jack River]

A coherence to incoherence so to speak. 

[Jack River]

10 minutes ago, exhale said:

I have always been open to (though skeptical) that non-duality is the absolute truth of reality.  How can I understand that it isn't just a concept, and is in fact, reality.  

Stop reading about nonduality. Come to a place of no experience/no time. 

The knowledge we accumulate very easily gets projected as an experience. The best thing I ever did was “ignore” information about what is beyond the known.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Jack River

[exhale]

@winterknight Thanks.  

[DrewNows]

@winterknightwhy limit yourself to enlightenment producing wealth? What other ambitions have you? 

@Jack Riverright dude! 

[Leo Gura]

@winterknight Haven't you seen the 11th ox herding picture of the fully enlightened Buddha driving his Rolls Royce into the sunset?

Only then is your enlightenment complete.

[B_Naz]

8 minutes ago, exhale said:

I say this with complete sincerity, and not trying to be antagonistic, but... that is exactly what the church-folk say...  There is a man in the sky, and a heaven for good people...  Can you see why this explanation is not satisfying to me? 

 

I understand what you are saying, questioning is what's going to get you to places

So are you going to deny that these church-folk are actually wrong? Do they not also have an essence of Truth? Who said that their God doesn't exist (Was it you?)? Why would somebody believe in God in the first place... Unless they are directed influenced by God.

We create our own reality, so they have created their own God

So we create this illusion of non-duality as well then? Surely?

Yes because we're picturing what non-duality is, that's where your mind is still trying to create a check for non-duality, just as your mind is trying to check if church-folk are real

When you try to picture non-duality, you're still creating reality

 

[exhale]

Does your perspective provide you with the ability to transcend reactiveness to (perceived) stuff during your daily life?

Or a less elegant way saying it...  Do you still get scared, fearful, self-conscience, defensive, etc.?

[winterknight]

1 minute ago, DrewNows said:

@winterknightwhy limit yourself to enlightenment producing wealth? What other ambitions have you?

You're right. No reason at all to limit myself to that. And I don't. In fact it may turn out that the truth is that I have no ambitions at all but just to be. I dunno.

2 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@winterknight Haven't you seen the 11th ox herding picture of the fully enlightened Buddha driving his Rolls Royce into the sunset?

Only then is your enlightenment complete.

It always seemed like a panel was missing from that comic strip! 

[wavydude]

13 minutes ago, winterknight said:

For example, if it's unrequited love that's bothering you, go to therapy and understand your early familial relationships and how that might play into the love patterns you're experiencing; write or draw about the depths and specifics of that love and learn more about your very specific feelings; read all about love from novelists and philosophers and watch movies about it... learn all you can. Try to penetrate into its mysteries. That's the way.

Wow that's very accurate and more or less what I've been doing. I see how pattrrns from family relations work into this but it still doesn't help me to change the situation (which creates lots of friction in me), rathere meakes me repulsed by my familiy members. Perhaps more pondering is needed but it seems ineffictient.

[exhale]

@B_Naz I'll chew on that for a bit.  I understand that I am entrenched in the rationalist paradigm, and this limits my understanding.  Work to do. 

[winterknight]

4 minutes ago, exhale said:

Does your perspective provide you with the ability to transcend reactiveness to (perceived) stuff during your daily life?

Or a less elegant way saying it...  Do you still get scared, fearful, self-conscience, defensive, etc.?

All these are much reduced. Peace of mind is much greater. Still, do they still occur? Yes and no. The real truth is that none of these things are real, none of them. But that is difficult to understand without directly experiencing that fact for yourself.

So if we want to say that they "appear" (which they actually don't), then yes, I still experience them in weakened form. I'm usually able to bounce back much faster than I was before.

[Leo Gura]

@winterknight I'm happy for ya man. You seem all right.

I have grown tired of these arrogant enlightened folks coming here and acting like know-it-all jerks.

The Jed McKenna effect I call it

So it's nice to hear from someone with humility.

[winterknight]

9 minutes ago, wavydude said:

Wow that's very accurate and more or less what I've been doing. I see how pattrrns from family relations work into this but it still doesn't help me to change the situation (which creates lots of friction in me), rathere meakes me repulsed by my familiy members. Perhaps more pondering is needed but it seems ineffictient.

Therapy. Psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapy. Trust me. Very helpful. It's not just about intellectual understanding and "pondering" -- therapy is about change at an emotional level. And try the other art/writing stuff I mentioned, too.

But also: this is a great jumping off point for the spiritual. You're in pain. Who is experiencing that pain? Learn about Ramana's self-inquiry method deeply and practice it. Every moment you're frustrated, use that to investigate who is it that is frustrated.

Edited November 10, 2018 by winterknight

[winterknight]

2 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@winterknight I'm happy for ya man. You seem all right.

I have grown tired of these arrogant enlightened folks coming here and acting like know-it-all jerks.

The Jed McKenna effect I call it

So it's nice to hear from someone with humility.

Thanks buddy, I appreciate it. Yeah, and I'm sure this forum is a honeypot for that type. Jed is definitely not the best role model on this point... Makes me roll my eyes just thinking about what you've probably endured here.

[DrewNows]

@winterknight@Leo Guralove you both! Amazing content here as always 

the human race is catching on and it’s only a matter of “time” ???

 

[Leo Gura]

The ultimate mark of enlightenment is the humility it bestows.