Why is concentration important for enlightenment?

[Matteo]

I've recently started a concentration practice again. I've watched Leo's video about concentration, which is three years old, but I don't feel that I really understand the significance of this practice. @Leo Guraalso I would like to know if in the last three years your understanding of concentration has changed in the light of all your experiences and awakenings, and also what is the relationship between concentration and psychedelics.

You guys may share your understanding of concentration, your experience with it and what it did to you.

[Javfly33]

In Yoga a lot of Kriyas and Pranayamas have the mere single goal of traning your concentration . The why is your hability to raise your state of consciousness depends much on your concentration. If the mind is not concentrated, then consciousness can´t neither be "concentrated" (you get me?) Another term for concentration is "mind focused on only thing". That´s why many spiritual practices also they are simply just "focus on this single point for the most amount time of stuff". The mind slow downs, internal dialogue slows down, so energy instead of being diverted in 1000 things, it start to get focused on One thing...so an opportunity is created for "things to happen".

[Scholar]

 

[Leo Gura]

Bottom line is: it changes your state of consciousness.

Your current state of consciousness is totally inadequate for spiritual understanding.

You need some way to change your state, whether that be psychedelics, concentration, fasting, breathing, whatever.

[Nahm]

@Matteo

I found singing & playing guitar and or piano, though there is the ramp up of the learning curve, to be pretty solid.  In singing properly (breath control & feeling the registers) while playing even basic chords, the sense of self just naturally fades into fun & expression. It’s also an organic break from any ‘thinking about what other people think’ or self referential thinking, striking a chord in confidence, relaxation, and esteem in an effortless, under the radar manor. The connection / understanding of the value of breathing from the stomach carries over through out all activities in the days as well, as awareness of perception & feeling is the indirect and effortless means of less thinking. 

A word to the wise...some are interested, some not...but watch out for the false thought of “I just can’t / others just can”. If one ‘puts it in front of oneself’, one learns over time. Keep in mind, you simply, literally, can not ‘get it wrong’ (that’d just be a thought to let go of).

Song writing, regardless of any perceived “quality” of it, is an excellent means of self expression, and inherently develops emotional intelligence. Not to mention, there’s other musicians out there, and it’s fun as hell to ‘jam’.  All great for clearing facades of “seriousness”.

Sing

[LfcCharlie4]

@Matteo if you’re a tech addict like most of us are try a dopamine detox and reducing artificial stimuli in daily life  

[The Don]

7 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

You need some way to change your state, whether that be psychedelics, concentration, fasting, breathing, whatever.

I plan to fast for 10 days. No food at all. Only water.

[apparentlynoself]

8 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Bottom line is: it changes your state of consciousness.

Your current state of consciousness is totally inadequate for spiritual understanding.

You need some way to change your state, whether that be psychedelics, concentration, fasting, breathing, whatever.

Can fasting bring us into a different state of consciousness?

[Leo Gura]

32 minutes ago, apparentlynoself said:

Can fasting bring us into a different state of consciousness?

Of course it can. The question is how effective will it be and how deep will it go? All that will vary.

[apparentlynoself]

6 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Of course it can. The question is how effective will it be and how deep will it go? All that will vary.

That's really good. Even though i am not part of any religion, i will be fasting during the islamic ramadan. I want to see what a different state looks like

[Hello from Russia]

3 hours ago, The Don said:

I plan to fast for 10 days. No food at all. Only water.

Be careful, bro!

[Leo Gura]

Just keep in mind fasting can seriously hinder your ability to do everyday functions.

The deeper your fast, the less you do. This can be a positive or a negative depending on your goals.

There is probably be periods where you feel really weak and shitty.

[Consilience]

The mind fundamentally operates within the conceptual framework of time. At least, the mind that we experience in our waking state, although I've had really gnarly trips where mind and time were experienced differently so who knows what's possible. For your sober state though, mind = time. However fundamentally speaking, Absolute Truth is RIGHT NOW. Time is a complete illusion. Until your attention can settle into this fundamental truth of reality, until the mind can truly concentrate on this eternal NOW, you will not have spiritual insight. Period. This is why concentration is damn important. 

A mind being dragged around by every little distraction will be hopeless at having spiritual insight, much less embodying these insights. Not to mention that a mind with stable attention, aka concentration, exists in a radically different state of consciousness than the normal mind. A concentrated mind is results in happiness, fulfillment, intuition, pleasure, and all sorts of positive mental states. Even though these states themselves are not necessarily Truth, or insight, they certainly are higher quality than the dull, distracted, anxious, and suffering state of mind the default mind is accustomed to.  

[fridjonk]

A 5-day water fast didn't do much for me except realizing how bound to food we are, and how strong the desire was. 

Some days later I took some LSD and laughed because it was just such a silly idea compared to just popping a psychedelic. 

Took 1 hour to become totally enlightened, and I went through that 5 day hell fast for nothing.?

But it was an interesting experiment tho. 

[Scholar]

21 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Bottom line is: it changes your state of consciousness.

Your current state of consciousness is totally inadequate for spiritual understanding.

You need some way to change your state, whether that be psychedelics, concentration, fasting, breathing, whatever.

What if Physical Death is even more radical?

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Scholar said:

What if Physical Death is even more radical?

What if there is no such thing as physical death?

[Scholar]

6 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

What if there is no such thing as physical death?

There is also no such thing as 5-MeO-DMT. Doesn't really change how radical it makes it.

 

What if physical death is the ultimate 5-MeO-DMT?