Need advice: Balancing enligthenment work with actualization

[ivory]

I just watched Leo's latest video: Life unfolds in chapters and phases. I recently went though a MAJOR life transition that forced me to start over. I went through the limbo phase and now find myself in the beginning phase. I have a vision, I am taking action, starting to see results, and I'm really excited about it.

Although I have a pretty steady mediation practice, I haven't been focusing too much on enlightenment work. My question is, how do I balance the two? Should I be further along before I start focusing on enlightenment or should I start now? Any other advice you have for me would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and lastly, if interested in enlightenment, which of Leo's videos did you guys find to be the most helpful or profound? And why?

[ajasatya]

@ivory here is an insight that has opened a lot of possibilities for me: enlightenment is realizing that you are like a flower that will blossom vigorously.

as Life itself, we don't need to separate enlightenment from everyday life. if you need time for developing mental discipline (like i did), then create a plan to spend a few months in a monastery or an ashram. i don't know what can help you more with mental discipline than a life devoted to the practice of meditation.

but if you don't feel that you need an extra dosage of mental discipline right now, you can just become a good husband/wife, a good father/mother, a good professional. this is how Life consciously embraces itself through the experience of a human being.

[Inliytened1]

@ivory well a quick question...if you are already meditating than in a sense you are already doing enlightenment work.  

You can do both but keep in mind that while attaining Liberation will ultimately give you the deepest sense of inner peace, happiness and fulfillment, it is also serious business.  An Awakening experience is wonderful but it usually is followed by some Ego backlash.  So be prepared to be able to take a week off work if it happens

So the question is have you started on any of his enlightenment videos?

Edited May 14, 2019 by Inliytened1

[ivory]

@ajasatya Thanks

[ivory]

@Inliytened1 True, right now I meditate about 30 minutes every morning. Then I do two 15 minute walking meditation sessions. And then I do mindful stretching for about 30 minutes per day.

How much time did you commit to your practice? And what did your practice consist of?

I don't think I've watched any of Leo's enlightenment vids. I felt like I needed to take a good deal of time off and deal with a bunch of life stuff that came up for me. I used to spend a lot of time doing self-inquiry but looking back I realize that I was also spiritual bypassing. I can't do that anymore.

That said, I was really influenced by Jed Mckenna, Greg Goode, Rupert Spira, and Zen. I was really curious to deconstruct myself and reality. Inquiry revealed that neither "I" nor reality was as solid as I once believed it to be. 

[Inliytened1]

@ivory Well i have been slacking with my meditation this past week because I've been on the forum 24/7 LOL.  But typically i do 30 minutes a day to an hour a day.  (would love to do it much longer if i had the time)  And nowadays i focus on something on the wall and try to put my awareness on awareness and keep it there.  Do Nothing / No mind.   I also had been just staring at my hand to try and be in touch with what's Actual.  The present moment.  But i am going to try this shifting consciousness technique i thought about today and posted on.   

What led to my Awakening was self inquiry.  I stumbled on Leo for something completely different and than found his enlightenment videos.  So i figured what the heck.  I was really impressed with his videos on addictions and i sensed this guy was the real deal.  So i started his very first enlightenment video...was mesmorized.  I'm so glad i was an open minded person or i never would have found Truth.

So then i listened to his 2nd one which goes deeper...and that's when it started really blowing my mind.  I started doing self inquiry while i was listening to the second one...(i believe) i also began doing the do nothing no mind meditation that i still do now.

It was crazy.  I had a mystical experience Ide say about 2 weeks in while doing self inquiry.  I remember being in tears thanking Leo.  He said it must have been a lifetime in the making.  

But anyway Self Inquiry can be extremely extremely powerful if you really dig deep.  You will really find that you can't pinpoint yourself. 

 

[ivory]

@Inliytened1 Thanks. How important did you find concentration practices and/or developing present moment awareness? My understanding is that you need good concentration to dig deep into the self-inquiry.

[DrewNows]

@ivoryhave you had any awakenings? How about experiences of flow states and mind/body connection? 

[Inliytened1]

@ivory well..the Do Nothing technique helped me a lot with concentration because with that method you try not to have thoughts.  And that is really tricky because your mind wants to naturally think thoughts of course.  So it does take practice and some are naturally more spiritually gifted then others.  But the key there is to go Meta.  When a thought comes up, notice its a thought and let it pass.  Keep bringing your mind back to "no mind" or no thoughts.  

I also want to add i also listened to more than just the first two videos while doing this.   I think i went into the 3rd and 4th but then listened to the 2nd one over and over while doing Self inquiry.  He really has a gift at teaching this stuff.

[purerogue]

If you are completely serious about wanting Enlightenment to a point where you are ready to give up your life, then I would go straight for it, just be honest about it , if no then I would droop thought about it  all together until you are ready.

Edited May 14, 2019 by purerogue

[Inliytened1]

Also remember i don't think it's so much about concentration as it is lack of thought.  Just BEING.  God consciousness simply IS.  No thoughts really

 

[Inliytened1]

@purerogue that's a valid point.  I might not go that far but its serious business for sure.  But you don't have to give up your life.  You don't stay in non-dual states forever.

[purerogue]

4 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

Also remember i don't think it's so much about concentration as it is lack of thought.  Just BEING.  God consciousness simply IS.  No thoughts really

 

To simply be you must be ready to just BE, it is easy to say , but if there is anything that is holding you to your body/mind you will get glimpses at best. 

Quote

that's a valid point.  I might not go that far but its serious business for sure.  But you don't have to give up your life.  You don't stay in non-dual states forever.

It is difficult to manage both, in such case you will have to learn allot.  

Edited May 14, 2019 by purerogue

[Inliytened1]

@purerogue what's wrong with glimpses? Lets not take over the thread with this debate though.  I would not discourage someone from the pursuit.

[Flatworld Crusades]

11 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

Also remember i don't think it's so much about concentration as it is lack of thought.  Just BEING.  God consciousness simply IS.  No thoughts really

 

A recent awakening for me was just this. I was staring at the bedroom ceiling after having an afternoon nap and this realisation washed over me. I was half asleep and speechless. 

[Flatworld Crusades]

13 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

@purerogue that's a valid point.  I might not go that far but its serious business for sure.  But you don't have to give up your life.  You don't stay in non-dual states forever.

I like what your saying ?

[purerogue]

Just now, Inliytened1 said:

@purerogue what's wrong with glimpses? Lets not take over the thread with this debate though.  I would not discourage someone from the pursuit.

Nothing wrong with them, I said what you must be ready to do to get Enlightened, if you are not serious about it then I would rather do self improvement, learn about mind and body , going for Enlightenment glimpses while involve allot of suffering. 

[Inliytened1]

@purerogue

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Inliytened1]

@purerogue wait what do you mean by suffering? Meaning not getting results or seeing results?

[Shin]

41 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

@purerogue wait what do you mean by suffering? Meaning not getting results or seeing results?

Huge ego backlash, resistance which creates lots of suffering, psychosis or even a dark knight of the soul.