I can sit in silence but there's nothing else that happens

[assx95]

I realize how I for me, is a thought and a feeling, and if pressed hard, I would put my hand over the centre of my chest, and say- I, and this resonates. When I ask - Who is aware of this I, there's just more awareness of what's going on now, I hear the birds chirp, the sound of the vehicles, in short, I just get redirected to square one, which is where I started from. 

I am expecting a shift in awareness, not knowing exactly what that would mean, and I am tired of listening to teachers, it just agitates me and I don't get good vibes from many teachers.  While bathing, I said in frustration, I don't want to be enlightened, but then, I became aware that the I in the statement, was just a thought mixed with a feeling of conviction of being a separate someone. I is just this inner voice and thought, mixing feelings with it. What is enlightenment? What is it? 

What am I supposed to find? This I, it's just identified with thoughts and inner voice and feelings, and projects itself as a self. In its absence, there's just everything which's happening. There's no shift in awareness as all these Gurus talk about. What's going on? 

[VeganAwake]

@assx95 ❤  that's enlightenment. ?

 

 

[4201]

1 hour ago, assx95 said:

What is enlightenment? What is it? 

Exactly what you are experiencing right now. The bird chirping, the sound of the vehicles, etc.

1 hour ago, assx95 said:

What am I supposed to find? 

Nothing. This is it. "Everything that is happening".

1 hour ago, assx95 said:

There's no shift in awareness as all these Gurus talk about. What's going on? 

Describing a "shift in awareness" would be creating a story about "I" who had such a shift. If you were to stop seeking this shift, you could fully enjoy this present moment. This would feel amazing and perhaps you would describe this as a "shift in awareness". In actuality though, the only shift is you stopping to try to find a shift. There's no thing that changes, you just stop expecting things to be different.

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by 4201

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, assx95 said:

There's no shift in awareness as all these Gurus talk about. What's going on?

It requires 100+ hours of continuous intense concentration to shift one's state of consciousness to have an awakening. Realistically this is what's required. You are not at all intense enough about it, so nothing happens.

Take psychedelic to see instant shift in state so you understand what you're missing.

[nistake]

I guess everybody goes through that phase. Sitting in meditation and waiting for something to happen. The ego-mind is constantly speculating and asking questions like "Is this it?" "Where's that enlightenment?" and so on. I totally get that it's frustrating, but hang in there, you'll have that realization in due time.

Also, this video helped me a lot:

 

[RickyFitts]

Speaking of Adyashanti, I like how he suggests to approach enlightenment: 'The question should be, not, "How do I become enlightened?" but rather, "How am I unenlightening myself?"'

What's preventing you from feeling at peace right now, in this moment? It's our unresolved baggage, in the form of suppressed emotion and trauma, that's at the root of the trance-state that most humans are trapped in, it's this which causes us to feel agitated, distracted, lost, hopeless, etc. So learning how to be with yourself and to allow the arising of that which had previously been suppressed is a big part of becoming free, it seems to me.

[Matt Skinner]

Do a meditation retreat to get a taste of higher consciousness from just meditation. The Dhamma.org Goenka retreats are free and you by no means have to stick with the method they teach there once you come back. You will cultivate a LOT of concentration and mindfulness on an intense retreat.

Or, yeah, just do psychedelics. Do a light or moderate dose of a psychedelic and listen to Leo’s God realization guided exercise, and meditate while tripping.

Edited July 23, 2021 by Matt Skinner

[Hello from Russia]

3 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

It requires 100+ hours of continuous intense concentration to shift one's state of consciousness to have an awakening. Realistically this is what's required. You are not at all intense enough about it, so nothing happens.

Take psychedelic to see instant shift in state so you understand what you're missing.

You mean 100h in a row in a retreat like sort of fashion or just rigorously practicing your concentration for 100h+ in total? 

[Leo Gura]

@Hello from Russia In a row.

Precisely the thing no one wants to do.

The thing you most don't want to do, is where enlightenment is hiding.

[iboughtleosbooklist]

Leo is the most interesting character the universe ever created ?

[Nahm]

When sitting in silence, sit in silence. No “but”, no thought activity, no analyzing, no seeking an experience of validation. Let all that go. 

You are like an ocean sorting through rain drops looking for an ocean. Let the rain drops (thoughts) go and there is only the ocean which was appearing as rain, veiling itself with itself, with being it’s own activity of rain. 

When there is no longer an I who sits in silence, there is actual silence. 

The mind can’t find the substance of itself in a future. 

[ZzzleepingBear]

6 hours ago, assx95 said:

What am I supposed to find? This I, it's just identified with thoughts and inner voice and feelings, and projects itself as a self. In its absence, there's just everything which's happening. There's no shift in awareness as all these Gurus talk about. What's going on? 

If there is just everything that is happening. Then is that judged as a problem, in relation to your expected shift in awareness?

If something is happening, you can only be aware enough to notice that it happens. Once you believe that a certain something is going to happen, then you no longer percieve what is happening. And you start to calculate what may or may not occur from what initally was a happening.

While what happens, unfold all at once without the narrow cause you put in it's place.

[actualizing25]

@Leo Gura That seems like an impossible task to do. Are there any methods that can boost your concentration? How about Neuro-Feedback-Training?

[Leo Gura]

7 minutes ago, actualizing25 said:

@Leo Gura That seems like an impossible task to do. Are there any methods that can boost your concentration? How about Neuro-Feedback-Training?

It's not impossible. Schedule a 10 day retreat.

You will not awaken otherwise.

Or if you're lazy, psychedelics.

[bliss54]

If you have access to them, I highly recommend doing self inquiry whilst on psychdelics

[bliss54]

I think that you need to have a really high level of concentration for self inquiry to be effective. If you just do it when you arent feeling that clear it seems like almost a waste of time

Would you guys agree with that

[actualizing25]

@Leo Gura Whats your opinion on Neuro-Feedback, Leo? I could buy such a device for myself and then train my concentration.

[Leo Gura]

13 minutes ago, actualizing25 said:

@Leo Gura Whats your opinion on Neuro-Feedback, Leo? I could buy such a device for myself and then train my concentration.

It's too expansive and complicated for most people do to.

Those cheap consumer gadgets will not work. You need a professional EEG machine and the training to use it. And even then, it's not some magic pill to enlightenment. It will just make your meditation more effective.

[Shmurda]

14 minutes ago, bliss54 said:

I think that you need to have a really high level of concentration for self inquiry to be effective. If you just do it when you arent feeling that clear it seems like almost a waste of time

Would you guys agree with that

There's a lot to learn from sitting with the experience of lack, difficulty and discomfort so I wouldn't call it a waste of time.

[assx95]

Or it's as simple as this: I, infinite intelligence, the source of all things, talked to me. I was the one who had rebelled, and who was cut off from the source. I, the infinite intelligence perfectly described everything about me. Then I asked- If I am you, then why did i cut myself off from the source, why did you cut me off from the source? I, the infinite intelligence, replied- In my infinite intelligence, I wanted to experience this life you lived, and in my infinite intelligence, I am calling you back home. I asked- Why then did you create me, cut me off, if you are now calling me back home? I, the Infinite intelligence replied- I never meant for it to last, I cut you off (Created you) with the intent that you'd live this life and one day you'd be back home delighted. And it's not you are low and I am high. I am you. And you are me. Take over everything. You are everything. And I am you.