I am enlightened. Sincere seekers: ask me anything

[Wisebaxter]

I have found your answers on here really helpful and insightful but I was a little shocked and I'll admit it, even offended, to read the piece on your blog slamming Eckhart Tolle. I think this is because Tolle opened me up to spirituality and changed my life so drastically. My question is, how does an enlightened individual view anything in this world as being less than perfect, less than it should be, if all is one? Does this mean that being enlightened doesn't necessarily stop one from being judgemental and critical? I was especially surprised to see such criticism levelled at someone like Tolle, who has done so many great things for humanity and helped so many people. 

 

[winterknight]

3 hours ago, Aakash said:

i was watching your videos , your explaination of things is deep , straight cut and quite frankly cuts through quite abit of the mental load

Glad you found it useful

7 minutes ago, Wisebaxter said:

I have found your answers on here really helpful and insightful but I was a little shocked and I'll admit it, even offended, to read the piece on your blog slamming Eckhart Tolle. I think this is because Tolle opened me up to spirituality and changed my life so drastically. My question is, how does an enlightened individual view anything in this world as being less than perfect, less than it should be, if all is one? Does this mean that being enlightened doesn't necessarily stop one from being judgemental and critical? I was especially surprised to see such criticism levelled at someone like Tolle, who has done so many great things for humanity and helped so many people. 

Anything in this world -- that is seen as of this world -- is less than perfect. That is because it is singled out, and thus incomplete. And so too Tolle's teaching would be imperfect. And I pointed out those imperfections. And my pointing out is also imperfect.

Or if everything is perfect, then so is my criticism.

This idea that enlightenment is all positivity is nonsense -- there are two poles in this world, and creation encompasses them both. It is non-identification with either of these poles that marks the enlightened outlook, but to one who still sees the world as divided -- there will appear to be action, and that means both positivity and negativity.

There are sages who are angry, proud, depressed, judgmental, critical, yes, all those things... or so it appears to the outside. It may not be their inner experience, because they do not identify with the experiencer.

Relentless positivity has problems all its own.

Edited January 26, 2019 by winterknight

[Nahm]

8 minutes ago, winterknight said:

Glad you found it useful

Anything in this world -- that is seen as of this world -- is less than perfect. That is because it is singled out, and thus incomplete. And so too Tolle's teaching would be imperfect. And I pointed out those imperfections. And my pointing out is also imperfect.

Or if everything is perfect, then so is my criticism.

This idea that enlightenment is all positivity is nonsense -- there are two poles in this world, and creation encompasses them both. It is non-identification with either of these poles that marks the enlightened outlook, but to one who still sees the world as divided -- there will appear to be action, and that means both positivity and negativity.

There are sages who are angry, proud, depressed, judgmental, critical, yes, all those things... or so it appears to the outside. It may not be their inner experience, because they do not identify with the experiencer.

Relentless positivity has problems all its own.

Could you elaborate on the two poles?

[Forestluv]

In general, be aware of attachment and identification to thoughts, ideas and concepts. Attachmenrs and identications  get really subtle at deeper consciousness stages. 

[Wisebaxter]

Ok I think I get it. It does raise some other questions for me but I think that as I'm operating from an unenlightened perspective my questions will be racked with assumptions and concepts and I'll just confuse myself even more. For now it's enough to understand that anything observed in this world is both imperfect and perfect. I think that's what you're saying and it makes sense. I'm a shameless Tolle fan-boy, that's the problem  

[Wisebaxter]

1 minute ago, Serotoninluv said:

In general, be aware of attachment and identification to thoughts, ideas and concepts. Attachmenrs and identications  get really subtle at deeper consciousness stages. 

@Serotoninluv Yeah I hear ya, I guess that's a product of language and the fact that words are always just signposts. Tolle says that himself. I got it into my head that everything he says is infallible, but words never are right? 

[Forestluv]

2 minutes ago, Wisebaxter said:

For now it's enough to understand that anything observed in this world is both imperfect and perfect.  

Imperfect and perfect are relative ideas. What comes prior to those ideas? What is there without those ideas? Nothing. 

[winterknight]

14 minutes ago, Nahm said:

Could you elaborate on the two poles?

Well I didn't really mean it as any grand piece of philosophy -- it's just that everything in the world has ways in which it is "good" and ways in which it is "bad" (and good and bad are also relative to different people, situations, and interpretations).

The world is literally made up of strands of imperfection & partial utility. That's what even makes an object possible -- its limited nature, so that it can be 'seen' by a limited observer.

And this is certainly true of words, which when saying one thing, always omit other things, unintentionally imply yet others, and so on.

[Aakash]

consider me mind blown winterknight, i actually understand what your saying on your blog about imperfection, crazy idea lool and what you wrote above about this

 

12 hours ago, winterknight said:

Anything in this world -- that is seen as of this world -- is less than perfect. That is because it is singled out, and thus incomplete. And so too Tolle's teaching would be imperfect. And I pointed out those imperfections. And my pointing out is also imperfect.

Or if everything is perfect, then so is my criticism.

This idea that enlightenment is all positivity is nonsense -- there are two poles in this world, and creation encompasses them both. It is non-identification with either of these poles that marks the enlightened outlook, but to one who still sees the world as divided -- there will appear to be action, and that means both positivity and negativity.

There are sages who are angry, proud, depressed, judgmental, critical, yes, all those things... or so it appears to the outside. It may not be their inner experience, because they do not identify with the experiencer.

Relentless positivity has problems all its own.

 

[Aakash]

how comes you decided not to say anything, i found what you wrote pretty profound on your blog about imperfectness and the enlightenment only being a piece of the puzzle 

[Cudin]

Is there a way to know, from your experience, if someone is at the brink of enlightenment? 

Is your experience 100% of presence, or your brain still eventually gets lost in thought (even though you probably doesn't identify with the thoughts)?

What is the main trap you think Leo's teachings might unintentionally lead his audience to?

Is your body still motivated by desire and fear sometimes?

Do you feel like having sex eventually?

Do you feel like altering your state with drugs eventually?

[winterknight]

4 hours ago, Aakash said:

how comes you decided not to say anything, i found what you wrote pretty profound on your blog about imperfectness and the enlightenment only being a piece of the puzzle 

There was no question. If you have one, feel free to post it.

2 hours ago, Cudin said:

Is there a way to know, from your experience, if someone is at the brink of enlightenment? 

Is your experience 100% of presence, or your brain still eventually gets lost in thought (even though you probably doesn't identify with the thoughts)?

What is the main trap you think Leo's teachings might unintentionally lead his audience to?

Is your body still motivated by desire and fear sometimes?

Do you feel like having sex eventually?

Do you feel like altering your state with drugs eventually?

There's no way to know whether someone is at the 'brink' of enlightenment, but some signs may be intense, single-minded effort towards that goal, and increasing amounts of peace and clarity. 

I don't really answer questions about 'my' state -- the answers are always misleading.

Don't know enough about Leo's teachings to comment.

[EvilAngel]

@winterknight I just read your article on "Power of Now" 

You make some good points, for example, when Tolle says this:

Once you know how the basic dysfunction operates, there is no need to explore all its countless manifestations, no need to make it into a complex personal problem.

and you say this:

"People don't "make it into a complex personal problems." Most people actually have such problems which they currently try their best to ignore and shove under the rug. They would benefit by addressing them through exploration and expression in art and/or therapy. Brushing them aside in the name of so-called spirituality is stupidity."

I completely agree with. Talking through past trauma is essential for healing, and too many people "spiritually bypass" this in favour of completely dissociating from their feelings. I have had problems talking to my family because they adhere so much to Tolle's teachings. For example, when I try to work things through which happened in the past and that still affect me, someone might say something like, "it's not worth going back to that" or "you're living in the past", or "what matters is now". Really makes me angry.

Having said that, I still think it's a useful book.

[Cudin]

Everything everyone says might be misleading. We can use some pictures, brother. 

[Cudin]

Is there a "free won't" of some sorts, or this ship is just bouncing around? 

I can summon people and situations, does magic have a use in realization or is it pure distraction? 

I feel like watching a movie of my life sometimes. I also have a sense of expansion when I close my eyes and concentrate. What might be the trap that keeps me in the duality? 

This ego is a high IQ motherfucker, it feels like this kind of intelligence might actually be an obstacle to realization. 

Most of my breakthroughs and insights came from psychedelic experiences. Is that "entering the room through the window", or do you belieave a healthy amount of psychedelic experiences is actually necessary for most people? 

Is it possible to recognize an awake person just by looking at his / her eyes?

[winterknight]

13 hours ago, EvilAngel said:

@winterknight

I completely agree with. Talking through past trauma is essential for healing, and too many people "spiritually bypass" this in favour of completely dissociating from their feelings. I have had problems talking to my family because they adhere so much to Tolle's teachings. For example, when I try to work things through which happened in the past and that still affect me, someone might say something like, "it's not worth going back to that" or "you're living in the past", or "what matters is now". Really makes me angry.

 

Yup

13 hours ago, Cudin said:

Is there a "free won't" of some sorts, or this ship is just bouncing around? 

I can summon people and situations, does magic have a use in realization or is it pure distraction? 

I feel like watching a movie of my life sometimes. I also have a sense of expansion when I close my eyes and concentrate. What might be the trap that keeps me in the duality? 

This ego is a high IQ motherfucker, it feels like this kind of intelligence might actually be an obstacle to realization. 

Most of my breakthroughs and insights came from psychedelic experiences. Is that "entering the room through the window", or do you belieave a healthy amount of psychedelic experiences is actually necessary for most people? 

Is it possible to recognize an awake person just by looking at his / her eyes?

Free will or won't cannot be explained intellectually; engage in self-inquiry and you'll find out who or what is free/determined

Distraction

You need to follow the path -- the trap that keeps you in duality is your not doing that

Psychedelic experiences might be helpful for some people but are not necessary and cannot get you all the way there

No

Edited January 29, 2019 by winterknight

[thesmileyone]

By enlightened, do you mean fully self realized?

Because as I understand it, full self realization, means there is no I to be enlightened. Of course I could be wrong...

Do you use the term as a kind of credential, like Dan Ingram calls himself "The Arahant", or do you actually believe you are enlightened?

If you do mean fully self realized, may my question pertain to how long it took you between realizing Self as a state and maturing it to full self realization?

It has been about 8 months since I had my first "everything inside me (me being awareness and not the "I")" experience and things have been deepening daily.

Thanks

[winterknight]

3 hours ago, thesmileyone said:

By enlightened, do you mean fully self realized?

Because as I understand it, full self realization, means there is no I to be enlightened. Of course I could be wrong...

That's ultimately true, but from the seeker's standpoint it is not.

Quote

Do you use the term as a kind of credential, like Dan Ingram calls himself "The Arahant", or do you actually believe you are enlightened?

Well, both and neither. I am enlightened, but enlightenment is all there is. It is a credential, but it is no less true for that. 

Quote

 

If you do mean fully self realized, may my question pertain to how long it took you between realizing Self as a state and maturing it to full self realization?

It has been about 8 months since I had my first "everything inside me (me being awareness and not the "I")" experience and things have been deepening daily.

Thanks

 

An impossible and misleading question to answer, unfortunately. I could say a year, I could say 20 years. But the reality is that "full self-realization" is not something to be achieved in some future time. That very thought is an obstacle.

[non_nothing]

theres is no enlightenment and all of these forms of you are deluded in doing including op.

[ajasatya]

15 minutes ago, non_nothing said:

theres is no enlightenment and all of these forms of you are deluded in doing including op.

i agree to some extent. there exists realization of True Nature and there exists the alignment with it. but people love intellectualization and pride. people like to turn this into a big thing... or even a business! 

Edited January 29, 2019 by ajasatya