All Personal Questions For Leo

[Dan Arnautu]

@Leo Gura Are you thinking of shooting a video on the stigma of self help books and self help in general?

I see a lot of academics and serious people dismissing self help as being only motivational, and with no real practical use. But as you know, there are people like Nathaniel Branden, who helped improve people's self-esteem for more than 30 years.

[Mighty Mouse]

What specifically was the death threat in reaction to?

[CGeo]

Do you take herbs and spices regularly in your diet? If so, which ones?

[BjarkeT]

What do you think about that science think that what we see may not be an accurate perspective of reality

 

[Brivido]

How do you manage to make a 2 hour long video without cuts?! I have a small YouTube channel myself and I find it nearly impossible to shoot 10 minutes without cuts.

I can shoot longer videos, but only if I free associate. Instead, you have no problem talking on a specific topic for hours, while maintaining your speech structured in a clear and logical way. I can't do that even if I have notes in front of me 

I thought you could be reading a script, but am pretty sure you are not, since you sound natural and relaxed.

My best bet is you just practice A LOT. How long it took you to become so good and how many hours do you usually spend shooting an episode, before getting it the way you want? I would like to have an idea of how much time I should be practicing, thanks in advance!

[The White Belt]

@Leo Gura Have you ever used weed for self-actualization purposes? If so, what are the results? 

[kieranperez]

Once you were clear on your life purpose, How long were you doing deliberate research before you made your first video? 

[willen1995]

What's your relationship to your dad like? @Leo Gura

[Emne]

@Leo Gura How important is your life purpose to you? 

[tyy]

@Leo Gura What was your favorite piece of work by Leonardo da Vinci? And why?

[Vaishnavi]

Leo, do you anytime consider updating the blueprint you created? Why/why not? 

 

[Charlotte]

@Leo Gura Would you consider shooting more guided meditation episodes?

[Soulbass]

@Leo Gura How did you find out for "10 things you don't know you want" ? Any source(s) ?

This episode is great, I was just wondering...

Edited February 12, 2018 by Soulbass

[Pernani]

@Leo Gura do you have any pets? And if you did what kind of pet would you get?

[Leo Gura]

On 12/22/2017 at 1:45 AM, Gabriel Antonio said:

What would you tell to your 20-year-old self? Like, if you could give an advice...

is there anything you said in an old video that you have completely changed your mind? If so, what is the idea?

Have you ever done Dynamic Meditation? (that crazy-ass “meditation” by Osho)

??

1) Start meditation, start yoga, start psychedelics, start self-inquiry, start studying nondual theory, follow your heart, become selfless.

2) I made a blog post a while back about things I've said which I changed my mind on.

3) No

On 12/22/2017 at 8:31 AM, sgn said:

You wanna tell what that mission is?

Basically, to become a saint.

On 12/22/2017 at 0:39 PM, Monkey-man said:

What enlightened teachers out there you think are the most profound and best at understanding nonduality?

I will find many of them in my book list.

On 12/22/2017 at 2:37 PM, Max_V said:

How have you dealt with the incredible existential fear that comes with recognising you don’t exist?

I’ve had a couple experiences now where I stopped being able to ‘find myself’ any longer, which really triggered immense fear and got my heartrate up to such a high number it hurt in my chest.

@Leo Gura

Yes, of course. You just have endure it and surrender. Take the leap of faith.

On 12/22/2017 at 3:06 PM, Afonso said:

A lot in me wants to read a lot of stuff and understand all the important concepts. But I've been more and more inclined just to stay still in meditative Self-Inquiry. Every conceptualization feels like a resistance, a burden. I feel myself dissolving specially after the Bufo trip and am pushed just to Be and not Do. What's your perspective on this conflict?

You need to learn how to study theory without getting to wrapped up in it. If all you do is self-inquiry, you might get some awakenings, but you will still be ignorant about a great many things, and your consciousness will still be low. This path is just too difficult to walk without proper and robust study of theory.

On 12/22/2017 at 5:08 PM, Echoes said:

@Leo Gura You mentioned your brother a few times in your videos and said that he is very scientific minded. Does he watch your videos and has his understanding and trust in science changed since he has you as a brother?  

He watches some of them.

He is still very scientific and stuck in the materialist paradigm. Although he has tripped on psychedelics and is becoming more openminded to spiritual stuff.

On 12/24/2017 at 4:22 PM, caelanb said:

@Leo Gura Are you taking about people that are gluten intolerant? Because this is true for them.

Wheat is empty calories for EVERYONE. It has zero nutritional value and its bad for your health.

On 12/24/2017 at 9:17 PM, Anakin said:

@Leo Gura What is your MBTI type?  People are split between INTP & INTJ, but I think you're much more like an INTP. Is that right?

INTP

On 12/25/2017 at 3:52 AM, RawJudah said:

@Leo Gura 1. Will you ever get married?

2. Do you own a smartphone?

1) I don't know, but I do intent to have a long-term girlfriend at the least.

2) Yes

On 12/25/2017 at 0:13 PM, egoless said:

@Leo Gura Where can I get into the best course of spiral dynamics? The 25 hour cours you took?

Which country has the most conscious laws and living conditions in your opinion?

Which country is the most evolved in the spiral dynamics?

1) That was a course by Eben Pagan: The Ultimate Map of Success, so some similar title.

2) Not sure, I haven't visited that many countries. Maybe some of the Scandinavian countries, but I can't be sure.

3) I don't know.

On 12/25/2017 at 0:40 PM, jjer94 said:

@Leo GuraDo you read the news regularly? If so, what sources do you follow?

I skim the headlines on CNN, MSNBC, etc. I watch their videos on Youtube sometimes and I listen to various Youtube channels that talk about the news.

On 12/26/2017 at 2:27 AM, Dan Arnautu said:

@Leo Gura From watching your videos in order, I can clearly see a major improvement in your ability to articulate abstract and nuanced ideas.

I want to make people understand me when I share ideas outside of their realm of possibility. But it's very hard, and many times I sacrifice my authenticity and shut up just because it would be too hard to articulate my own opinion on a certain topic.

Do you have any speaking drills/practices that you do aside from shooting videos over and over again that helps you articulate hard and nuanced ideas? 

The biggest thing I do is I constantly talk with myself in my own head, as though I am talking to a student. I've done this for most of my life. It both helps to clarify my ideas, but also produces a chatty monkey-mind, so it's a double-edged sword.

On 12/27/2017 at 7:27 AM, Achilles said:

@Leo Gura Do you use brain-train to improve your brain with neurofeedback? How long do you are using it? What changes did you notice? For what intention are you using it? And finally what do you think it is possible with that tool?

Yes, I have done various types of neurofeedback. I want to do it more consistently but sometimes lack the time. The changes are subtle. It slowly rewires your brain function. Mostly I use it to meditate more effectively. I think it's possible to use the tool to meditate so effectively you become enlightened, but I haven't proven that out. It's also possible to just optimize your brain function.

On 12/27/2017 at 11:13 AM, Ryan T said:

@Leo Gura

What does your daily routine look like on average?

It varies a lot right now. And I've answered this question in the past I think in this thread.

On 12/28/2017 at 1:43 AM, F A B said:

@Leo Gura have you ever thought about doing bodybuilding?

I only mean adding to your training schedule some muscle strength exercises (bench press, pull-ups, squat...)

I do it and I feel great.

Thank you.

I have done quite a lot of bodybuilding in the past.

It no longer resonates with me.

On 12/29/2017 at 9:10 AM, caelanb said:

@Leo Gura What do you do for relaxation and to entertain yourself? Do you play video games every once in a while, or watch documentaries or movies? Thank you.

No video games any more.

I watch videos on Youtube. I sometimes watch documentaries. I follow the news. I chat or sext with my girlfriend. I drive around town late at night. I take roadtrips.

On 12/29/2017 at 9:21 AM, The White Belt said:

Opinion on Owen/Tyler RsD? 

He's a remarkable guy. But big ego.

On 12/29/2017 at 7:06 PM, Cjaryo said:

@Leo Gura Did you ever have a PMO (Porn, masturbation, orgasm) addiction?

I watch porn and I don't feel bad about it. I don't view it as an addiction. The body has sexual cravings that need to be satisfied.

On 12/29/2017 at 7:11 PM, Sahil Pandit said:

Would you ever add a live stream feature to Actualized.org?

A live stream of what?

On 12/30/2017 at 4:17 PM, theMeatProfessor said:

3 different questions:

1. What are your thoughts on Jungian typology? Would be interesting to see you cover the topic of human archetypes in the near future.
2. Am I crazy or did your eyes actually turn green? I can't help but notice that you seemed to have had bright blue eyes in your older videos... which is kinda weird. Maybe it's a camera thing.
3. Astrology... not your typical everyday horoscope bullshit, but rather in-depth, hardcore Astrology with natal charts, planetary placements and aspects. Been doing a lot of research (since 2014) and frankly, I see a lot of veracity to it. What are your thoughts on Astrology and out of sheer curiosity, what's your zodiac sign?

1) I'm not a huge fan of it. I prefer more direct consciousness work. Getting into mythology is a quagmire. It's too vague.

2) My eyes were always green. Color correction of the videos sometimes distorts their true color. And different cameras and different lighting create different effects.

3) There's probably something to it, but not my cup of tea. Again, too vague and indirect. I would just focus on direct consciousness work.

On 12/30/2017 at 7:17 PM, Raphael said:

In your last motivational video you said that working at Mc Donald was not work, but bullshit. Then you said that it was the same thing for a programmer.

However, I consider programming harder then working at Mc Donald. You need more concentration and solve harder problems.
What is real work for you?

To me real work is work in which you are having the most meaningful impact on the world (for you).

On 12/30/2017 at 10:19 PM, Omni said:

@Leo Gura where do you hope to see yourself and actualized.org as a whole in 5 and or 10 years?

We'll see how things develop. Too much to say here.

On 12/30/2017 at 10:51 PM, Chrissy j said:

@Leo Gura is yours mastery stil personal development? Or has it changed into something like being a sage? What would be the difference between these two and how does one master being a sage?

It's mostly the same. Becoming a sage, personal dev, consciousness. The common denominator is becoming more conscious in every aspect of your life.

All my videos are basically answering the HOW question.

On 12/31/2017 at 9:41 PM, BjarkeT said:

Happy new year

whats your opinion on intensity (or going to the edge of your comfortzone) in terms of making progress in any area?

for example in deliberate pratice you need to go at the edge of your comfortzone to improve your skills

in deep work you have to concentrate at the egde of your ability to concentrate to get the best results(without distractions for a longer period of time)

in work out you have to have some sort of intensity if its too easy for your body you may not make as much progress as if you where doing it more intense 

to ace life one have to do something emotional difficult (or at the egde of ones emotional comfortzone)

does intensity play a bigger role than a less experience in personal development would think in terms of progress in any area?

Becoming conscious puts you outside your comfort zone by definition because you're surrendering aspects of the ego in the process.

Yes, growth requires doing new things and making bold changes, which is scary and uncomfortable.

On 1/1/2018 at 2:39 AM, K VIL said:

You think it's possible to theoretically understand nonduality, Leo?

I want to be at one with everything but I'm very far from not seeing a ground below my feet.

I know your channel is dedicated to it, and it may take decades (if even that) to reach a state.

I'm just curious, if most of us are so far from this perspective, why tease us with the info?  nvm

Yes, it is possible and even necessary to understand nonduality theoretically.

And then it is necessary to go beyond theory and to actually embody it.

Do both.

On 1/1/2018 at 10:15 AM, FeelFree said:

Would you recommend microdosing acid or mushrooms on a meditation retreat (f. e. Vipassana)?

No, I would recommend you stick to the Vipassana practice strictly without deviation. It will be powerful enough on its own.

[MarkusSweden]

17 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

 

I skim the headlines on CNN, MSNBC, etc. I watch their videos on Youtube sometimes and I listen to various Youtube channels that talk about the news.

 

Leo, this makes you so fascinating to me. This proves that there is an opposite side to everything. 

Tell me one person in the world that digs up truths so consistently as you. Who are brave and finds out everything for yourself. You even see trough the science paradigm in very young age although you are very conceptual minded, that take both courage and genius. In short, there is probably not a person in the world that is as dedicated and successful to dig up absolute truths as you Leo. 

And at the very same time you are almost a retard when it comes to some relative truths, like evaluating news. Even the most average joe out there sees through all the bullshit and biased news of CNN and MSNBC. You don't even have to listening to the 100% biased crap they broadcast, you know just by looking at them, the ego and self-absorbed lust and drive for success and power shines in their auras. 

But everyone has blind spots, that's how it suppose to be!  

[Key Elements]

@Leo Gura Do you feel that becoming an entrepreneur / philanthropist is a necessary stage to go through in life? 

You said that you wanted to become a sage. Do you also want to become a sage / philanthropist? 

(Btw, on your Christmas video or maybe it was your blog video, you said to buy out all the YT channels to make it high conscious channels. It was around the part where you mentioned Bill Gates. So, both the answers are: yes, correct?

)

[Solace]

What do you think of Matt Kahn's approach to spirituality to love whatever arises in each moment? Why not instead of meditating, you focused on opening your heart chakra by fully embodying this practice (which he has said many times is the most direct path to an abiding awakening)? What is keeping you on this path in particular of meditation and self-inquiry?

 

[Ayilton]

13 hours ago, Key Elements said:

@Leo Gura Do you feel that becoming an entrepreneur / philanthropist is a necessary stage to go through in life? 

You said that you wanted to become a sage. Do you also want to become a sage / philanthropist? 

(Btw, on your Christmas video or maybe it was your blog video, you said to buy out all the YT channels to make it high conscious channels. It was around the part where you mentioned Bill Gates. So, both the answers are: yes, correct?

)

It was on the Christmas video 

[Leo Gura]

On 1/1/2018 at 11:09 AM, BjarkeT said:

what are the benefits of fully feeling emotions 24/7 besides a healthy mind?

what are the consequences of not doing it? 

When you are not conscious of your emotions, you become a slave to them and you suffer.

On 1/1/2018 at 3:09 PM, Leo-Tzu said:

Why did you stop going at the gym?

Got bored of it. Also had energy problems due to my health. I have a sluggish thyroid gland, which means I have to conserve my energy more than most people.

On 1/2/2018 at 7:11 PM, TeamBills said:

What service did you use to create the actualized.org forum? A site I'm on was looking to use a different service for their forum, and this is probably the best forum I have seen.

See the site's footer. But I heavily customized it.

On 1/3/2018 at 2:54 AM, heisenburger said:

@Leo Gura you said in a blog post once something along the lines of some ideas if shared would make you lose credibility because they're so extreme. Could you give an example of one

Most paranormal stuff.

Like the ability to commune with deities.

On 1/4/2018 at 4:01 AM, Edvard said:

I'm curious to what you regard to make it certain without reasonable doubt that the global warming that happens today is mainly caused by humans.

What would you regard as compelling evidence for this? Given that 97 percent of all actively publishing climate scientist all over the world agree:

https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/

I believe climate change is man-made, since that is what most of the best scientists say. Of course that belief is fallible, but we have to work with imperfect information. So I use the best information I've got at the moment.

On 1/4/2018 at 6:03 AM, Aquarius said:

1. What colour do your eyes have? They looked blue at first, but recently they seem to have turned into gray. I went fullscreen on a video, and I realised they are actually green?? Do they change colours perhaps? In any case, they're very beautiful and profound!

2. In your video, "The Dark Side of Meditation", you talk about side effects / unpleasant effects of meditation. What is the worst you experienced in your meditation journey?

3. If ego is unnecessary, why does it exist? Or rather, how did in come into existence? Some people claim it's even impossible to remove ego, but it's possible to heal it, so that it gives you the best support you need (I read this in an article somewhere). What are your thoughts on this?

1) Green

2) I haven't experienced anything too hairy. Mostly just ego backlash and cravings. If you include my psychedelic trips, then the worst thing I've experienced is insanity.

3) Ego is very necessary to keep you surviving as you are. Without ego, your entire life would collapse. Which is why you're not going to give that ego up so easily. The backbone of your entire life (ego) is an illusion.

On 1/4/2018 at 5:03 PM, BjarkeT said:

What is your opinion on that the universe may come from nothing? 

The universe doesn't come from nothing, it IS nothing.

On 1/5/2018 at 5:44 AM, Serge said:

@Leo Gura

Leo, thank you very much for everything you've done ! I wish you a lot of well-being and love in your life!

For the last two or three weeks a thought couldn't escape my mind. I've stumbled across a teacher with a very broad perspective on life. I remember how you like it when "everything comes together", "the big picture thing", "the pieces come together", "lots of perspectives" and I'm getting the same feeling when I read his work. So, for the last weeks I've been  thinking "I've got to write Leo about this, he's got to know". I think mentioning this guy is the best thank you I could ever give you.

His name is Валерий Синельников (Valeri Sinelnikov) and the book I would suggest you to read is named "Возлюби болезнь свою" (Love your disease) [it's an introduction to his work]. I hope you remember how to read in russian, as I strongly suggest to read the original, not the translation. I'm sure you're going to enjoy the shit out of it and will crave, like a little bitch, for more. I love you, Leo!

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't like reading in Russian.

On 1/8/2018 at 11:30 AM, Dan Arnautu said:

@Leo Gura Are you thinking of shooting a video on the stigma of self help books and self help in general?

I see a lot of academics and serious people dismissing self help as being only motivational, and with no real practical use. But as you know, there are people like Nathaniel Branden, who helped improve people's self-esteem for more than 30 years.

I don't feel a need to argue against such academic nonsense. If people cannot see the obvious value of self-help books, they are beyond help in my view.

On 1/9/2018 at 9:04 AM, Mighty Mouse said:

What specifically was the death threat in reaction to?

In one of my videos I said that terrorism was not evil.

On 1/12/2018 at 2:47 PM, CGeo said:

Do you take herbs and spices regularly in your diet? If so, which ones?

Yes, to improve flavor. Cumin, pepper, various chilis, coriander, garlic powder, dill, cilantro, etc.

On 1/14/2018 at 10:47 AM, BjarkeT said:

What do you think about that science think that what we see may not be an accurate perspective of reality

 

Science's entire paradigm of how perception works and what reality is, is deeply, deeply flawed and confused.

Appearance IS reality. ALL of reality is a construction of the mind. The only objective thing is Absolute Infinity, which isn't even a thing or a non-thing.

On 1/17/2018 at 1:24 PM, Brivido said:

How do you manage to make a 2 hour long video without cuts?! I have a small YouTube channel myself and I find it nearly impossible to shoot 10 minutes without cuts.

I can shoot longer videos, but only if I free associate. Instead, you have no problem talking on a specific topic for hours, while maintaining your speech structured in a clear and logical way. I can't do that even if I have notes in front of me 

I thought you could be reading a script, but am pretty sure you are not, since you sound natural and relaxed.

My best bet is you just practice A LOT. How long it took you to become so good and how many hours do you usually spend shooting an episode, before getting it the way you want? I would like to have an idea of how much time I should be practicing, thanks in advance!

You can make an outline and glance at it as you speak. Still takes lots of practice, but it helps a lot.

But also, there's nothing really wrong with cuts. In fact, it might be better to do cuts so your content is punchier. 2 hours videos are no desirable.

On 1/26/2018 at 2:03 PM, The White Belt said:

@Leo Gura Have you ever used weed for self-actualization purposes? If so, what are the results? 

No, I've never been interested in weed. I avoid all recreational substances.

On 1/30/2018 at 0:52 PM, kieranperez said:

Once you were clear on your life purpose, How long were you doing deliberate research before you made your first video? 

My LP took a while to evolve to the point where I was doing videos. My LP was clear, but how it would get expressed was unclear for a few years. I had to stumble upon videos through trail and error. At first I thought I would be writing blog posts. But then I never enjoyed that and stumbled upon videos.

On 2/1/2018 at 1:10 PM, willen1995 said:

What's your relationship to your dad like? @Leo Gura

It's very complicated. We had a falling out. I have not spoken to him for about 6 years and I don't even know where he is.

On 2/7/2018 at 9:04 AM, Emne said:

@Leo Gura How important is your life purpose to you? 

It's the backbone of my life.

On 2/7/2018 at 9:45 AM, tyy said:

@Leo Gura What was your favorite piece of work by Leonardo da Vinci? And why?

I don't really love his work that much. What's most interesting about him is just his mind and approach to life.

On 2/10/2018 at 3:44 AM, Vaishnavi said:

Leo, do you anytime consider updating the blueprint you created? Why/why not?

I've thought about it, but it would easier to just create a new product. I bit off more than I could chew with that project so I had to abandon it.

On 2/12/2018 at 2:33 AM, Charlotte said:

@Leo Gura Would you consider shooting more guided meditation episodes?

Sure

On 2/12/2018 at 2:34 PM, Soulbass said:

@Leo Gura How did you find out for "10 things you don't know you want" ? Any source(s) ?

This episode is great, I was just wondering...

All those insights were from a mushroom trip. The source was the infinite intelligence of the mushroom. Which is why it was so good.

On 2/26/2018 at 4:33 PM, Pernani said:

@Leo Gura do you have any pets? And if you did what kind of pet would you get?

I don't now. I had a Siamese cat for most of my life for 17 years who I grew up with. After she died about 7 years ago, I haven't wanted any more pets. I used to have lots of various pets in my childhood, from snakes to frogs to fish to rabbits to lovebirds to sugar gliders to exotic corals.