Is seeking enlightenment a hedonic treadmill?

[BipolarGrowth]

Has anyone here actually stopped that process? You find some new insight that makes you happy then it fades and is replaced by something that feels more everlasting. What are your thoughts? 

[eputkonen]

Yes, for me and others.  It is not about a new insight that makes you happy or feels more everlasting to you.  It is about shattering the illusion of "me"...gain and loss...separation and otherness. 

After this shattering, there may be new insights as some deeper understanding may arise within the body-mind, but it does not make you happy...as you were happy before it arose and happy after the insight arose (i.e. happiness unchanged).  Also, you are happy if another insight never arose again.  Not needing further insights.  Fulfilled and deeply content in being...nothing lacking.

[WelcometoReality]

@BipolarGrowth Seeking might continue after awakening but loses momentum as the realization matures to eventually dissolve completely.

[BipolarGrowth]

14 minutes ago, WelcometoReality said:

@BipolarGrowth Seeking might continue after awakening but loses momentum as the realization matures to eventually dissolve completely.

Kinda seems what’s happening to me now. I’m becoming less and less impressed by radical states. Being a normal human seems more fun for at least part of the time. 

[WelcometoReality]

1 minute ago, BipolarGrowth said:

Kinda seems what’s happening to me now. I’m becoming less and less impressed by radical states. Being a normal human seems more fun for at least part of the time. 

Yeah I just cleaned my kitchen. It was extraordinarly ordinary but magical at the same time. ?

[BipolarGrowth]

23 minutes ago, WelcometoReality said:

Yeah I just cleaned my kitchen. It was extraordinarly ordinary but magical at the same time. ?

That is the mark of true yoga. Great job my friend ❤️

[WelcometoReality]

1 minute ago, BipolarGrowth said:

That is the mark of true yoga. Great job my friend ❤️

???

[James12345]

2 hours ago, BipolarGrowth said:

Has anyone here actually stopped that process? You find some new insight that makes you happy then it fades and is replaced by something that feels more everlasting. What are your thoughts? 

Enlightenment has nothing to do with feelings or insights, it is already what is. Being free from suffering is not happiness, it is being flowness and it is love. But this love has nothing to do with normal love or being happy. Happiness comes and goes with the experience based on personal expectations, however real love is realization of there is no good nor bad all is identical, so whatever comes loving happens because situation neither good nor bad for you. 

[BipolarGrowth]

It’s not the extraordinary things we do that matters most. How do we bring those extraordinary things into our normal lives to make better communities and friendships and love? ❤️????

[Goldzilla]

In my opinion and experience, once you've "seen" God, there is no turning back. 

Example: once you learned and discovered how to ride a bicycle, that is it. There is no turning back, only if you want to, but even then is quite impossible. 

 

I can say there is a refining way to do things better and better after the realization. A bigger picture in time if you wish. 

But with the attention inwards there is no more boredom, only play. 

The experiences go infinite. There is no end to this. Same as life and evolution. 

 

Now, the hedonistic sides of things are there only before the realization of "God". 

[mandyjw]

Figuring out and avoiding all the hedonic treadmills is a hedonic treadmill. It's based on trying to avoid a let down or disappointment. Thinking avoiding feeling itself is the loop that makes the treadmill seem to be movement and effort. 

[Nahm]

2 hours ago, BipolarGrowth said:

Kinda seems what’s happening to me now. I’m becoming less and less impressed by radical states. Being a normal human seems more fun for at least part of the time. 

Fucking beautiful brother. 

[Guest EmptyVase]

4 hours ago, BipolarGrowth said:

Has anyone here actually stopped that process?

I wouldn't say stopped, but rather surrendered to.

Being eagerly curious trying to figure out awakening, I used to chase 'higher consciousness'. After having had glimpses of truth and understanding, I understood that there is nothing to be understood. So in that sense, I 'stopped'.

Counterintuitively, the most 'growth' in awareness or consciousness happened for me, when I let consciousness 'come towards me'. Receiving rather than chasing.

Since then, it's all about being present and creating an awesome life. It's amazing just how much is being understood when we are open to receive, and see the beauty of life. Though, granted, I should probably get back to classic meditation more frequently.

At the same time, I can imagine to go really deep with spirituality someday. But for now, I understand that this is not my mission currently.

[Waken]

My thoughts and how I see it: you are always creating yourself and life reflects and supports the energy you choose/are. If you are reaching for something that is -for probably most here anyway- an activity that is anxious and not relaxed. Just think of your usual drive for reaching a state or whatever it is and see how that feels in the body. If that's the choice you make, that's the energy you practice making more and more strongly 'you'. Perhaps life is then also reflecting that energy back to you and you find more reasons to keep going down that path.

What you really want is just to feel good, and what feels good is what's natural to you. Stressing, chasing and achieving are energies that are something else than what you want and therefore not a very wise choice to practice. If you align your actions and thoughts with what feels good, you are then setting up a good feeling you/state for now and also setting it up for the future. Life can then support your choice of alignment with yourself/what feels good and then 'flows' you down the path of least resistance to all you really want. With other words; relax, think thoughts that feel good, that give relief, choose what feels good, no need to try so hard.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Waken

[BipolarGrowth]

2 hours ago, Nahm said:

Fucking beautiful brother. 

❤️?

[Nos7algiK]

7 hours ago, BipolarGrowth said:

Kinda seems what’s happening to me now. I’m becoming less and less impressed by radical states. Being a normal human seems more fun for at least part of the time. 

To that I say: Well done. ❤️

Edited August 1, 2021 by Nos7algiK

[AdamR95]

@BipolarGrowth whole life is kind of like a treadmill, i am here just to enjoy the running

[BipolarGrowth]

14 minutes ago, AdamR95 said:

@BipolarGrowth whole life is kind of like a treadmill, i am here just to enjoy the running

Nice ? 

[roopepa]

On 1.8.2021 at 4:18 PM, BipolarGrowth said:

Kinda seems what’s happening to me now. I’m becoming less and less impressed by radical states. Being a normal human seems more fun for at least part of the time. 

Yeah me too. I don't really care about that stuff anymore. I don't think that 'states' or 'awakenings' are what any of us are really looking for, they are not Home. In fact, a few days ago I wrote 'forgetting spirituality' onto my dreamboard. What I've been calling "spirituality" has just been a mountain range of bullshit.

It's just stressful to be seeking and waiting for these 'states and insights'. You just feel the unturth of it.

It seems that life is way more simple than the mind often thinks.

I don't think you need books or teachers or 'spirituality', at least after a certain point. It's become quite clear to me that Truth takes care of itself.

Edited August 2, 2021 by roopepa

[The0Self]

On 8/1/2021 at 7:58 AM, eputkonen said:

Yes, for me and others.  It is not about a new insight that makes you happy or feels more everlasting to you.  It is about shattering the illusion of "me"...gain and loss...separation and otherness. 

After this shattering, there may be new insights as some deeper understanding may arise within the body-mind, but it does not make you happy...as you were happy before it arose and happy after the insight arose (i.e. happiness unchanged).  Also, you are happy if another insight never arose again.  Not needing further insights.  Fulfilled and deeply content in being...nothing lacking.

Exactly.

After this, the desire to know thy Self doesn't just go away, so there is still seeking, in a sense. Only now, it isn't "in order to" fulfil some need based in lack-beliefs.

Edited August 2, 2021 by The0Self