I am enlightened. Sincere seekers: ask me anything

[AMS]

8 minutes ago, winterknight said:

When you realize enlightenment, you realize that you are not your body and mind. Therefore you were never born, do not die, and cannot be reborn.

Thank you mate, but even if I am not the body and it is just an illusion of me thinking I am the body/mind, can't that happen to me again sometime in a future life?  That I will be 'stuck' in an illusion of being in a body/mind again with a lower consciousness than what I have now and therefore less chance to realize it is an illusion and therefore I will still suffer?

I imagine reality to be form changing infinitely and therefore wouldn't that suggest that at some point I will be stuck again in an illusion and suffer even if I break free in this life-time?

Probably it's a pretty ignorant question that will clear up the more I meditate/self-inquire...cheers anyway!

[winterknight]

9 minutes ago, AMS said:

Thank you mate, but even if I am not the body and it is just an illusion of me thinking I am the body/mind, can't that happen to me again sometime in a future life?  That I will be 'stuck' in an illusion of being in a body/mind again with a lower consciousness than what I have now and therefore less chance to realize it is an illusion and therefore I will still suffer?

I imagine reality to be form changing infinitely and therefore wouldn't that suggest that at some point I will be stuck again in an illusion and suffer even if I break free in this life-time?

Probably it's a pretty ignorant question that will clear up the more I meditate/self-inquire...cheers anyway!

No, when you recognize your true nature, you will see why this question does not make any sense.

You are not stuck in an illusion. That is the illusion.

You are not stuck now, you were never stuck, you can never be stuck. The "illusion" is not actually trapping you, even right this second. 

It's hard to comprehend this as a seeker.

Inquire into the "I" and you will understand.

[seeking_brilliance]

@winterknight

1 hour ago, winterknight said:

Falsely implies an observer. Better to question the I, or else to give up observing... when you give up paying attention to the things around you, including your thoughts and feelings, the Self is what remains. It holds you always.

@winterknight  is there an observation taking place (independent of a self) or only thoughts of an observation? 

To give up observing seems impossible, even when aknowliging that there is no I to observe. 

Self inquiry has proven difficult to grasp, because I find it hard to identify with this feeling of 'me'. I'm just so used to it I guess, I can't really point to it. But for the most part it feels like this 'I' operates from the head, behind the eyes. I am so open to believing this is not the case, especially because there is no I to operate. So this is what I am to focus on and question? It doesn't really feel like me, it just feels like where I hear thoughts and see surroundings. The problem is I can't really seem to pinpoint the feeling of me enough to question it, even though this (arbitrary) life is lived very much from the viewpoint of "me", even after seeing through the lie of it. 

 

Hmm... Well even though I feel "stuck in my head", when body sensation arise, I feel them as me for sure, like when the tummy is gurgling or heart beating fast. So these I can question as 'me' and realize they cannot be me, they are in awareness only, right? 

Edited November 19, 2018 by seeking_brilliance

[SOUL]

Do you realize you and enlightenment are full of shit?

It's all bullshit.... just ask Leo, he'll tell you.

[EvilAngel]

7 minutes ago, SOUL said:

Do you realize you and enlightenment are full of shit?

It's all bullshit.... just ask Leo, he'll tell you.

Really? Then why did he make 20 odd videos on the subject?

[winterknight]

25 minutes ago, seeking_brilliance said:

@winterknight

@winterknight  is there an observation taking place (independent of a self) or only thoughts of an observation? 

If you call it an "observation," there is immediately a self (well, technically a self-concept: that's not the true self, that's a false self) invoked. Any time there is a concept there is a self. In truth there cannot be said to be an observation. Even "thoughts of an observation" is a concept, and therefore that also involves a self.

Quote

To give up observing seems impossible, even when aknowliging that there is no I to observe. 

Giving up observation simply means relaxing the mind. Surrender.

Quote

Self inquiry has proven difficult to grasp, because I find it hard to identify with this feeling of 'me'. I'm just so used to it I guess, I can't really point to it.

Self-inquiry is difficult to grasp... until it isn't. It's difficult because it's pointing to the blindingly obvious. You can't recognize it because it's so damn obvious.

Quote

But for the most part it feels like this 'I' operates from the head, behind the eyes. I am so open to believing this is not the case, especially because there is no I to operate. So this is what I am to focus on and question? 

That feeling of "behind the eyes"... who is aware of it? "I am," right? The rule is: I cannot be that which I am aware of. So when you notice that feeling behind the eyes... that feeling that "I am aware of that feeling behind the eyes" -- where or what is that I?

That's how you question. And whatever answer you come up with... go through the same sequence.

When do you stop? When you have a little lightbulb turn on and the mind suddenly finds itself at peace. You'll know it when you find it.

Quote

It doesn't really feel like me, it just feels like where I hear thoughts and see surroundings. The problem is I can't really seem to pinpoint the feeling of me enough to question it, even though this (arbitrary) life is lived very much from the viewpoint of "me", even after seeing through the lie of it. 

Yes, of course you cannot pinpoint me. That is the whole problem. And yet you have this feeling that "I am." So what is it? Yes, it is exactly that -- obvious and you cannot pinpoint it.

And yet you must try very constantly to try to pinpoint it -- and if you do, suddenly it will open up and you will have a whole new perspective.
 

Quote

Hmm... Well even though I feel "stuck in my head", when body sensation arise, I feel them as me for sure, like when the tummy is gurgling or heart beating fast. So these I can question as 'me' and realize they cannot be me, they are in awareness only, right? 

Correct.

 

Edited November 19, 2018 by winterknight

[Outer]

If the Self is ineffable, why can't it still be "created" from brain processes? The "creation" of the Self doesn't make it describable. "Creation" of ineffability means what it means.

[winterknight]

1 minute ago, Outer said:

If the Self is ineffable, why can't it still be "created" from brain processes? The "creation" of the Self doesn't make it describable. "Creation" of ineffability means what it means.

We already had this whole discussion about the color green and all that earlier in the thread, remember? Can't say much more than that.

[Outer]

1 minute ago, winterknight said:

We already had this whole discussion about the color green and all that earlier in the thread, remember? Can't say much more than that.

Well don't you think that I was trying to make the ineffable describable? I'm just saying that the reason the ineffable is might be because it was "created", for a lack of a better term for it. Or emerged.

[winterknight]

6 minutes ago, Outer said:

Well don't you think that I was trying to make the ineffable describable? I'm just saying that the reason the ineffable is might be because it was "created", for a lack of a better term for it. Or emerged.

I'm not sure what you're arguing... Consciousness is simply not reducible to matter. Remember dual aspect monism? 

If consciousness cannot be reduced to matter, then it cannot be created by the brain. The brain is matter.

Edited November 19, 2018 by winterknight

[Outer]

2 minutes ago, winterknight said:

I'm not sure what you're arguing... Consciousness is simply not reducible to matter. Remember dual aspect monism? 

If consciousness cannot be reduced to matter, then it cannot be created by the brain. The brain is matter.

Yes the ineffable is not  linearly created by the brain,  but it arises with it, so the creation of the brain/matter is the creation of the ineffable. Or rather there is the creation of the ineffable and matter.

[winterknight]

2 minutes ago, Outer said:

Yes the ineffable is not  linearly created by the brain,  but it arises with it, so the creation of the brain/matter is the creation of the ineffable. Or rather there is the creation of the ineffable and matter.

Ok, you can say that if you want. What's the point? What does it buy you? it doesn't help science, and it doesn't help the spiritual quest.

[Outer]

18 minutes ago, winterknight said:

Ok, you can say that if you want. What's the point? What does it buy you? it doesn't help science, and it doesn't help the spiritual quest.

But it does help both as they're two sides of the same coin. The point is to have complete understanding. A theory of everything.

[winterknight]

8 minutes ago, Outer said:

But it does help both as they're two sides of the same coin. The point is to have complete understanding. A theory of everything.

You can't have a theory of everything, though. The ultimate truth is beyond theories & words.

You said it yourself -- "the ineffable." It is impossible to have a "complete understanding" of it when the very name says it all: ineffable -- that which cannot be spoken. Theories require speaking the things they are about. Therefore the ineffable cannot be understood in a theory.

But anyway, that's all I'll say about it. If you enjoy thinking about this stuff, go for it.

[Outer]

1 minute ago, winterknight said:

You can't have a theory of everything, though. The ultimate truth is beyond theories & words.

You said it yourself -- "the ineffable." It is impossible to have a "complete understanding" of it when the very name says it all: ineffable -- that which cannot be spoken. Theories require speaking the things they are about. Therefore the ineffable cannot be understood in a theory.

But anyway, that's all I'll say about it. If you enjoy thinking about this stuff, go for it.

One way to understand the ineffable or communicate it, is to label it as such, so clearly there is capability for understanding it in written words, and to communicate it. If there isn't a theory of everything in which the ineffable is a part of, like the describable, it is not complete.

[graded24]

On 11/13/2018 at 9:38 AM, winterknight said:

 

You have mentioned the importance of psychoanalytic therapy etc for the seeker. I'm torn in trying to determine whether I should stay in my current career, as I though I would since forever, or change directions completely. Do you think this is something a therapy would be able to help? I'm in Seattle area. Who should I contact and what should I say?

[Emanyalpsid]

Everything we experience points towards that consciousness is created by the brain; neural science, no consciousness when asleep (not dreaming) or unconscious, the innate behaviour (instinct) to preserve our body, change of consciousness if neurotransmitter activity changes, when taking psychedelics for example.

There is no evidence or direct experience whatsoever, to support that there is a consciousness without a brain, besides you believing this.

It is important, because if you deny that consciousness is created by the brain, you are going to ignore the signs your body and brain gives you, which could lead to unhealthy behaviour.

Which could also inhibit your work towards enlightenment as being fully enlightened means to melt the body-mind duality. Meaning your mind melts with your body, you become a full human being. Without you being distracted by the mind, when it tries to create a distinction between your body and an experiencer (the self) out of not-knowing there is no separation between you and your body. You are just human.

So, if you deny your body, you will never get fully enlightened.

You see, this is where non-dualism is different from Buddhism. Non-dualists believe that consciousness exists upon itself, that it is the core of everything. So, basically they, rather literally, live in their head.

Buddhists see that everything is non-dualistic, so there is not even a consciousness at the core. Consciousness arises together with, our perception of, reality. This however does not mean that reality is created by consciousness. There is so much evidence of earth and other planets being a lot older then humanity.

But if you truly believe consciousness is not created by the brain, why not take it to the test and shoot a bullet through your brain to proof it. Guess you're not gonna huh?

Edited November 19, 2018 by Emanyalpsid

[Scholar]

Can you see intelligence in the manifestation of reality?

[winterknight]

1 hour ago, graded24 said:

You have mentioned the importance of psychoanalytic therapy etc for the seeker. I'm torn in trying to determine whether I should stay in my current career, as I though I would since forever, or change directions completely. Do you think this is something a therapy would be able to help? I'm in Seattle area. Who should I contact and what should I say?

Yes, it can help, but it's not a quick fix. Good therapy takes time.

Contact the Seattle Psychoanalytic Society at (206) 328-5315 and ask for a referral. Psychoanalysis is the most intense therapy and it requires several meetings a week, but there are therapies which are less intense also available. They should explain all that.

1 hour ago, Scholar said:

Can you see intelligence in the manifestation of reality?

You don't see intelligence; you are the intelligence.

[seeking_brilliance]

@winterknight is karma just cause and effect? I see cause and effect being like the clockwork of Maya. Seems to propel evolution. Not sure what we are evolving into, or why, or if it even matters. Wait... I can't evolve, can I? There is no I. And no Maya... But there seems to be a really cool movie on about it, and somehow it seems that I'm tuning in. (sorry for rambling, it's so exciting to have someone to talk to that has promised to answer all my silly questions?.... I promise not to take too much advantage of it? ??? you know the drill: please point out my errors)