Skin-encapsulatedego

Contemplating Peter Ralston's contemplation

64 posts in this topic

Here I'd like to pose two questions on Peter Ralston's consciousness work.

Firstly, given that Love is the ultimate reality, how is it possible for him to have had so many enlightenment experiences, being conscious of so much about reality, but miss this over-arching component of Love?

Secondly, if I am correct in equating self-inquiry with Ralston's "Who am I?" contemplative question, why is self-inquiry considered an advanced technique in other circles, usually only attempted when one has become advanced at mindfulness (given that Ralston refers to his "Who am I?" question as a basic preliminary facet, with direct experience achieved after far less work)?  I ask this after commencing a contemplative practice, as detailed in the Book of Not Knowing, as it seems to be very difficult to achieve a direct experience (in a sober state).

Edited by Skin-encapsulatedego
Grammar

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@Skin-encapsulatedego Ralston has super-human concentration abilities so I think he takes for granted that you do too.

He sometimes talks about concentration so hard you can burn a hole through a log.

That's what it takes to break through sober.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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5 minutes ago, Skin-encapsulatedego said:

@Leo Gura Huh.  Okay.  And why do you think it is, that he's missing the facet of Love in his experience of reality?

I don't know. I don't think he's missing it. I think he's playing coy. He is a sly fox.

He's also not the most emotionally expressive person. He's somewhat autistic from what I heard. His style is more cold and Zen. So you don't get overt love feelings from him. But he is a very loving man in his own way. It's a masculine sort of love. Not sappy or sugary.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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10 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@Skin-encapsulatedego Ralston has super-human concentration abilities so I think he takes for granted that you do too.

He sometimes talks about concentration so hard you can burn a hole through a log.

That's what it takes to break through sober.

well that explains a lot. ive only had sober break throughs but i couldnt even notice them until recently b cuz i was deeply focused so i took it for granted and thought that it was nothing special but now that ive experienced opposite depths ie backlashs or low consciousness states i started seeing whats going on. ive been blessed with sober break throughs without even putting effort i just flow and every thing spontaneously falls into place so i guess ur right laser focused concentration is key 

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@The observer Stop assuming that everyone is wired the same. There is enormous range in how people's brains/minds are wired.

Highly spiritual people have special wiring. This is absolutely the case. They are not like normies. A normie can meditate for 20 years and get nowhere. A spiritually talented person can meditate for one weekend and have an awakening. That's the harsh reality no spiritual teacher will tell you.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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19 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@Skin-encapsulatedego Ralston has super-human concentration abilities so I think he takes for granted that you do too.

He sometimes talks about concentration so hard you can burn a hole through a log.

That's what it takes to break through sober.

Do you think he was born with that concentration abilities or most of them were due to practice and improvement?

If so how did he improve them?

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3 minutes ago, docs20 said:

Do you think he was born with that concentration abilities or most of them were due to practice and improvement?

If so how did he improve them?

Both.

I think he was born exceptionally advanced and talented.

And then on top of that he practiced obsessively for over 10,000 hours.

World-class masters usually are a combination of both. They have extraordinary natural talent, the perfect genetics for the task at hand, and then obsessive practice for decades. It takes all these things to line up to become world-class in a thing. Everything has to be aligned perfectly.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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@Skin-encapsulatedego Ralston is magnificent and eloquent in what he speaks. For me personally, after watching dozens of his videos and finishing the Book of Not Knowing, I’ve surmised that he is likely fully aware of such a principle of love but referees to it in different terminology. He uses words such as Being, Truth Etc. The manner and caliber in which he speaks displays that he uses them almost synonymously with the word love.

I feel he may also be avoiding explicit use of the word “love” due to its utter bastardisation (can’t blame him). Having use it he may further perpetuate its misuse and delusion. He uses many terms that are much simpler and less conventionalised.

His practice you are referring to is much like Leo stated. It’s a basic practice but just requires extensive concentration. Same with Self inquiry, they both lead to the same destination (which is nowhere) but just travel different paths to get there. It’s basically just exploring into ones own existence. Don’t get caught up in these differences, seek to understand the nature of your own existence in your own direct experience in which ever way best resonates.

Edited by Jacobsrw

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4 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@The observer Stop assuming that everyone is wired the same. There is enormous range in how people's brains/minds are wired.

Highly spiritual people have special wiring. This is absolutely the case. They are not like normies. A normie can meditate for 20 years and get nowhere. A spiritually talented person can meditate for one weekend and have an awakening. That's the harsh reality no spiritual teacher will tell you.

ur right but i believe most spiritual teachers arent even aware of this. its rare to find some one with systemic understanding like u let alone him being a famous teacher 

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Just now, Leo Gura said:

I don't know. I don't think he's missing it. I think he's playing coy. He is a sly fox.

He's also not the most emotionally expressive person. He's somewhat autistic from what I heard. His style is more cold and Zen. So you don't get overt love feelings from him. But he is a very loving man in his own way. It's a masculine sort of love. Not sappy or sugary.

Makes sense.  Thanks.

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Consider the possibility that perhaps the highest expression of Love never mentions it by name at all.

Imagine a Love so selfless that it doesn't even name itself.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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1 hour ago, Skin-encapsulatedego said:

Here I'd like to pose two questions on Peter Ralston's consciousness work.

Firstly, given that Love is the ultimate reality, how is it possible for him to have had so many enlightenment experiences, being conscious of so much about reality, but miss this over-arching component of Love?

 

Nobody is missing anything. If one is woke, one is WOKE. Period.

Things get confusing and devolve into circle jerk when people hold a certain label on the pedestal. Like how Buddhists worship 'emptiness', New age vegans worship 'love', Hindus worship 'the Self', modern spiritual fanbois worship 'consciousness'. So on and so forth.

 


''Not this...

Not this...

PLEASE...Not this...''

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But seriously.

Reality is only one thing.

LOVE

You will not find a higher realization.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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24 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@The observer Stop assuming that everyone is wired the same. There is enormous range in how people's brains/minds are wired.

Highly spiritual people have special wiring. This is absolutely the case. They are not like normies. A normie can meditate for 20 years and get nowhere. A spiritually talented person can meditate for one weekend and have an awakening. That's the harsh reality no spiritual teacher will tell you.

How do you know you have this special wiring? What would you recommend such a person to realize / stop assuming?

Edited by bejapuskas

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Just now, bejapuskas said:

How do you know you have this special wiring? What would you recommend such a person to realize / stop assuming?

I don't have much of it.


You are God. You are Truth. You are Love. You are Infinity.

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Just now, Leo Gura said:

Both.

I think he was born exceptionally advanced and talented.

And then on top of that he practiced obsessively for over 10,000 hours.

World-class masters usually are a combination of both. They have extraordinary natural talent, the perfect genetics for the task at hand, and then obsessive practice for decades. It takes all these things to line up to become world-class in a thing. Everything has to be aligned perfectly.

@Leo GuraAnd does being born spiritually gifted necessitate that you did extensive spiritual work in a previous life? Or is there another contributing factor for why one would be gifted?

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1 minute ago, Leo Gura said:

But seriously.

Reality is only one thing.

LOVE

You will not find a higher realization.

...Until a new challenger appears in 209947th trip :D


''Not this...

Not this...

PLEASE...Not this...''

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1 minute ago, Leo Gura said:

But seriously.

Reality is only one thing.

LOVE

You will not find a higher realization.

I was talking with a friend of mine about this and it seemed to me like both of us resonated differently with different facets of Love/Reality. But I wouldn't say either of us is more woke than the other, I would probably say something like @Preetom  here:

8 minutes ago, Preetom said:

Nobody is missing anything. If one is woke, one is WOKE. Period.

Things get confusing and devolve into circle jerk when people hold a certain label on the pedestal. Like how Buddhists worship 'emptiness', New age vegans worship 'love', Hindus worship 'the Self', modern spiritual fanbois worship 'consciousness'. So on and so forth.

 

What are your comments on that?

2 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

I don't have much of it.

Sorry, my mistake, I meant, given that you've studied many teachers and probably have met many serious seekers of Truth, from which some have this and some don't, what do you think would help such a talented person to stop assuming stuff and become more mature in their communication?

3 minutes ago, Preetom said:

...Until a new challenger appears in 209947th trip :D

Lol

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