'Self' is an illusion, or a paradox?

[Mason Riggle]

When I consider things such as 'losing my sense of self' or that 'there is no self'.. this used to leave me with the sensation that I was 'just a hallicination of my brain'.. or 'simply a result of every cause affecting me'. I wondered if 'I' was ever responsible for anything, or 'doing' any of it, or 'authoring my own thoughts'.. 

But as I contemplate it deeper, I wonder if the 'self' is more of a paradox.. Instead of imagining the process of enlightenment as 'losing the self', like something that dwindles away until it's gone, its more like, as I shed notions of 'self', who 'I' am actually grows, until 'I' becomes 'everything'. 

 

[inFlow]

There is a self. And that self must catch itself with itself. To explain it simply is that the ultimate YOU is just consciousness, and it must become conscious of what consciousness is and there you go, you cought yourself using yourself. Its suuuuper tricky. You will need to develop more consciousness to understand this. Its not hard, just takes time. Basicly you can understand anything in this galaxy if you have enough consciousness, if you cant grasp what is the self that means your base awareness/consciousness is not high enough to grasp it! Continue doing your consciousness work and when it rises the understanding will come!

[Nahm]

1 hour ago, Mason Riggle said:

When I consider things such as 'losing my sense of self' or that 'there is no self'.. this used to leave me with the sensation that I was 'just a hallicination of my brain'.. or 'simply a result of every cause affecting me'. I wondered if 'I' was ever responsible for anything, or 'doing' any of it, or 'authoring my own thoughts'.. 

But as I contemplate it deeper, I wonder if the 'self' is more of a paradox.. Instead of imagining the process of enlightenment as 'losing the self', like something that dwindles away until it's gone, its more like, as I shed notions of 'self', who 'I' am actually grows, until 'I' becomes 'everything'. 

 

@Mason Riggle Nice.   Scrutinize, with respect to your inquiry regarding the self, the distinction between what is a sense / sensation, and what is a thought. The ‘answer’ is there. 

[Mason Riggle]

@Nahm I like that a lot. I almost just felt a shift away from a running dialog to being aware of everything I was 'experiencing' as a whole, if only for a moment. 

[Nahm]

@Mason Riggle Sensational. ?

[MuddyBoots]

Definitely. And I'd say it's good not to hold onto your beliefs too tightly, but just experience it for yourself and go from there. 

[Inliytened1]

@Mason Riggle the nature of reality is fundamentally paradoxical.  The deeper you go the more it becomes evident.

 

[Mason Riggle]

@Inliytened1 absolutely! Becoming comfortable with paradox has been key in letting go of so many questions.  I find it hilarious when I am watching certain of Leo's videos, and an 'ah ha' moment hits me, and I'm laughing at myself and don't even need to finish the video. 

[Alex bliss]

Can you guys reply to my new topic ?? it's quite similar to thiS.