Leo's Practical Guide To Enlightenment

[Codrina]

Hello. I've had a most amazing meditation this morning. I've kinda been meditating since I was a child, one way or another: karate, drowning, dancing, long walks in nature... I have started a traditional meditating routine for the last 6 months. I used to do yoga every morning for 30-60 min (Sadhguru's exercises) and for the last couple of weeks,just sit crossed legged and used different mudras, while observing my thoughts and returning to my body when I got lost in them. My meditating time goes from 30 min to an hour, depending on how much time I have that morning. Today I thought I would try this self inquiry Leo is talking about, set my alarm for 45 min. So I started asking 'Am I this body? No. Am I this hand? No. Am I this thoughts? No. ' I went through this questions a few times and then I heard my neighbors outside talking, so I asked 'Am I them? No.' (because I have been living for the last 8 years believing I am everything). And then the question 'Well, if I am not my body, not my thoughts, not them, what's left?' and 'Nothing' came as an answer. That moment I felt a subtle vibration throughout my body. My whole body became so light, like I was floating in space. I laughed inside. It lasted a few seconds and then my body started to feel heavy again. It was like a sort of disappearing for a while.

[Kyle H]

Leo: 

How do you know that you know Truth?

Thanks

[zeroISinfinity]

On 4.11.2018. at 6:25 PM, Fredrik Andersson said:

@Leo Gura @ajasatya

ANSWER FROM VIDEO The benefits of enlightenment  - What I can expect from enlightenment?

• A massive reduction in the level of my own suffering (micro level suffering). Such as being annoyed, being bored, judgmental that make people depressed, neurotic, bitter etc.

*True. All emotions accepted as they arise. No more Indetit ycreation out of them. 

• Freedom from worrying, doubts, fear or anxiety.

*This is also true. You saw you can't die so since all fears come from death of the self you do not worry about anything anymore. 

• A permanent end to overthinking. Being able to just enjoy the present moment.

*True, self thinks in order to perpetuate itself to manipulate, lie do Whatever it takes to survive. 

• Immunity to heavy emotions like deep anger, sadness, deep loneliness. They will no longer affect you in the same way.

*True since you are not afraid of These emotions anymore. Aldo loneliness, yeah different kind of loneliness you realize you are all alone so egoic type of clinginess and attachments doesn't affect you. 

• The end of addictive behaviours. Both heavy addictive behaviour and soft addictions.

Not all but most of. For sure you Will enjoy some things if situations demands for it. 

• The end of worrying about what people think of you. An end to abscessing over yourself.

True since you drop of all your own imagined stories about yourself so why you would trust other people stories about you. 

• A permanent end to striving in life. "how to get more money, power, status, love" and obsessing about how to get these things.

Yes. Most likely you Will become monk or say goodbye to society and live small life alone or having family. 

• A stop to loneliness and neediness for approval or love, respect and other attachments.

*True, you will not need anyone. 

• eliminate Neurosis.

*True

• Take away a lot of stress from your life.

*True

• Less need for sleep, and much more physical energy. Stop wasting energy on worrying and other neurotic behaviours.

*True you Will take care of body much more, you will eat healthy food, you will go to gym doing yoga etc. 

• Enlightenment is the whole path, the journey that begins your real actualization. This totally opens you up to transform into what you truly want to become.

*You want to become God in full glory as Formlesness as Truth, that is Who you really are behind mask of your apparent life. 

• A way to deal with chronic pain.

Mindfulness doing Miracles. 

• Puts you in touch with your body.

True 

• A longer life and better health.

Proaly don't know, yet. 

• Deep self-acceptance and deep self-love.

Probably true but it is a process, so much toxins accumulated. Takes time for mind to wash up These. 

• Enables true love. Powerful and authentic relationships (all relationships, friends, your boss, family etc.).

Kinda but only with people who are more conscious which is very rare to all others if you do not help them with their self serving agenda they will not want to make relationships with you. After all you do not need any of them to fullfill you. 

• The deepest understanding of truth that a human being can get.

True, Absolute realization. 

• Death without regrets (to BE more instead of DOING more).

True, can't wait honestly. 

• Better relationship towards society, the world and other human beings (human race).

True but do not expect to be respect ed honoured they will probably hate you deep down because you are showing them who they are really but they deny that. 

• You being enlightened greatly improves the world.

Do not see how is this the case. I am nobody in real life. 

• Life becomes satisfying to you again, more like the effortlessness of when you were a child. Living from a place of "being in the zone, no matter what".

You become present moment so all struggle become effortless 

• Unconditional happiness and peace of mind.

Hope I Will get there

 

?

[Pateedm]

@Leo Gura Do you think it would be possible to become enlightened simply by using psychedelics? If so, would it require 5-Meo or could it be done on shrooms and LSD? I'd assume you would need to at least contemplate while tripping.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

On 11/4/2018 at 9:25 AM, Fredrik Andersson said:

@Leo Gura @ajasatya

Reading this guide, I get terrified and super excited at the same time. A curiosity inside of me just kind of NEED to know what the hell you all are talking about.. "after dying several times I stop being afraid of it"  etc. I don't think I can say I lived my life fully without at least trying to experience this truth. 

That said, I went into personal development to end a lot of unnecessary suffering in my life, change bad habits, addiction and finding my true purpose/career in life. In the guide, Leo mentions that enlightenment is NOT things like A psychological change, Emotional mastery, The cure to all your bad habits and evil ways, A form of self-improvement or self-help etc. 

My question is: how much impact does enlightenment have on these areas? Could seeking enlightenment benefit finding life purpose, self-esteem and dealing with emotional problems? Or is enlightenment a completely different domain? 

ANSWER FROM VIDEO The benefits of enlightenment  - What I can expect from enlightenment?

• A massive reduction in the level of my own suffering (micro level suffering). Such as being annoyed, being bored, judgmental that make people depressed, neurotic, bitter etc.
• Freedom from worrying, doubts, fear or anxiety.
• A permanent end to overthinking. Being able to just enjoy the present moment.
• Immunity to heavy emotions like deep anger, sadness, deep loneliness. They will no longer affect you in the same way.
• The end of addictive behaviours. Both heavy addictive behaviour and soft addictions.
• The end of worrying about what people think of you. An end to abscessing over yourself.
• A permanent end to striving in life. "how to get more money, power, status, love" and obsessing about how to get these things.
• A stop to loneliness and neediness for approval or love, respect and other attachments.
• eliminate Neurosis.
• Take away a lot of stress from your life.
• Less need for sleep, and much more physical energy. Stop wasting energy on worrying and other neurotic behaviours.
• Enlightenment is the whole path, the journey that begins your real actualization. This totally opens you up to transform into what you truly want to become.
• A way to deal with chronic pain.
• Puts you in touch with your body.
• A longer life and better health.
• Deep self-acceptance and deep self-love.
• Enables true love. Powerful and authentic relationships (all relationships, friends, your boss, family etc.).
• The deepest understanding of truth that a human being can get.
• Death without regrets (to BE more instead of DOING more).
• Better relationship towards society, the world and other human beings (human race).
• You being enlightened greatly improves the world.
• Life becomes satisfying to you again, more like the effortlessness of when you were a child. Living from a place of "being in the zone, no matter what".
• Unconditional happiness and peace of mind.

At 36:36 into the video comes the "so what's the cost" part of the video. I excluded that in this answer since that was not relevant for my question.

I can only answer from my perspective, so your mileage may vary. Anyway, here is how these things look to someone who is no longer in separation (you can call it enlightenment if you like but I'm not a fan of that word).

Some of these things may happen and/or look different along the way (for example you may find yourself taking better care of your body, but that isn't a direct result of liberation).

• A massive reduction in the level of my own suffering (micro level suffering). Such as being annoyed, being bored, judgmental that make people depressed, neurotic, bitter etc.
  • this may depend on how you label pain vs. suffering (see Roger Castillo's teachings), but suffering has completely vanished here.
    • quick attempt at explaining:
      • pain is biological, including anger, sadness, and more
      • suffering is an added load and is psychological. it includes these emotions and their sub-categories
        • Guilt
        • Blame
        • Pride
        • Worry/Anxiety
        • Expectation/Attachment to outcome
• Freedom from worrying, doubts, fear or anxiety.
  • that is included in suffering. Gone.
• A permanent end to overthinking. Being able to just enjoy the present moment.
  • thinking still happens, but there is no worry. that is part of suffering
• Immunity to heavy emotions like deep anger, sadness, deep loneliness. They will no longer affect you in the same way.
  • same as above
• The end of addictive behaviours. Both heavy addictive behaviour and soft addictions.
  • sort of. addiction is a label, a judgement. some things will go away, some won't. if one is physically addicted to something, that is unlikely to drop. attachment to pleasure, however--that goes away completely. If something pleasurable is happening, it can be enjoyed 100%. If it isn't happening, so what?
• The end of worrying about what people think of you. An end to abscessing over yourself.
  • gone--part of what i would call suffering
• A permanent end to striving in life. "how to get more money, power, status, love" and obsessing about how to get these things.
  • gone. there is nowhere to go, nothing to gain, and no one who cares.
• A stop to loneliness and neediness for approval or love, respect and other attachments.
  • gone. there is no need for anything to happen, no concern for what others think. you can even be pleasant to them because you see they are only doing what they are doing. no one is inside of them controlling anything. you may as well care if the rain is angry at you.
• eliminate Neurosis.
  • i guess so. things still happen, but there is no suffering about them.
• Take away a lot of stress from your life.
  • yep. that would be suffering too
• Less need for sleep, and much more physical energy. Stop wasting energy on worrying and other neurotic behaviours.
  • this does not affect the physical, though it may indirectly. Sleeping will happen, and there are no worrisome thoughts to keep you up at night, so it's possible you would sleep better.
• Enlightenment is the whole path, the journey that begins your real actualization. This totally opens you up to transform into what you truly want to become.
  • I don't know what this means. I don't like the word, 'enlightenment' as no one ever gets enlightened. 
• A way to deal with chronic pain.
  • It will not remove pain, but it can change your relationship with it. It will be pain, but without a story attached to it. It is not 'my' pain.
• Puts you in touch with your body.
  • you do not have a body. if anything, the sense of being or having a body disappears. 
• A longer life and better health.
  • i don't think this is related at all unless it's because of less stress.
• Deep self-acceptance and deep self-love.
  • deep acceptance and love, yes. There is no 'self'.
• Enables true love. Powerful and authentic relationships (all relationships, friends, your boss, family etc.).
  • What most people think of is love I would not call love. I would call it need and desire--both forms of suffering. The love that is here now shines like the sun for everyone and everything, with no condition. It is always there, full, whole, and complete.
• The deepest understanding of truth that a human being can get.
  • actually the opposite. It's the realization that nothing can be known. Trying to understand will keep you in separation.
• Death without regrets (to BE more instead of DOING more).
  • There is no fear of death--there really is no true fear of anything. For example, I was recently on a high-speed roller coaster going upside down and sideways and there was no fear. There was a kind of interest in the experience but if I had flown off into space there probably would just be a thought of, "Oh this is interesting. I wonder if I will die?" 
• Better relationship towards society, the world and other human beings (human race).
  • Yes, kind of. For one thing, it is seen that there is no 'correct' way to be in the world. I only see perfection, and every 'person' is valued at the same level, including me. It's hard to express what it looks like when there is no separation, but it's beautiful to me because there is no need to protect 'myself'. There is complete objectivity towards what I 'do' and therefore it is easy to identify and correct behaviors.
• You being enlightened greatly improves the world.
  • The world actually does not need improvement--it is already perfect, that just can't be seen from a limited perspective. 
  • That being said, there is an 'always on' feeling of helping someone if they need it. That might just be me. There is still a personality and we get conditioned by life to have certain preferences. Those stay, but judgement does not. If nothing is good or bad, how can it be improved?
  • It feels like the energy that is given off by someone who is liberated can somehow be sensed by others. Even on video. There is more to it than just the words.
• Life becomes satisfying to you again, more like the effortlessness of when you were a child. Living from a place of "being in the zone, no matter what".
  • there is a lack of dissatisfaction, so in that sense things are satisfying. sitting in silence is no better or worse than watching a movie. boredom is no longer.
  • there is a child-like quality to life when it is seen clearly that this is a mystery--completely and utterly. It can't be known, and it feels beautiful and perfect.
• Unconditional happiness and peace of mind.
  • the happiness that is available is not the happiness of 'fun' or 'pleasure'. it is the happiness of peace of mind. permanent, unbroken peace of mind regardless of the circumstances. equanimity.

 

I hope that is somewhat helpful or illuminating. It's just what came out.

[Mohamed Saleh]

@Leo Gura

Once I close eyes starting self inquiry I hear that obvious continuous sound (_____________). I feel that keeping concentration on that sound is the right thing to do although I don't get any answer for my questions. Do you think such a perceptive thing ___________ is an indication for something? 

I am not on rush but your advice would be helpful in such stage. 

 

Leo, I am so grateful that you are here on earth at the same time I am ?

[Shweta]

Agreed. We are blessed coz we have Leo. Such a clear vision he developed, from manifestor to being Leo.

[Spiral Wizard]

On 12/30/2016 at 10:37 AM, Shin said:

Some of you must also realize that they are not ready YET.

If there is huge functional issue(s) in your life, work on that first.

 

You might get an awakening experience and totally pissing your life away after that (or maybe you're doing it right now ?),

by simply thinking there is nothing else to do in life than to realize your enlightement.

You would be like these spiritual seekers, chasing experience after experience, doing nothing else from their gifts, not even trying to be a benevolent force (which is very egotistical if you are conscious that you could).

There is a term for these kind of people, junkies.

That's exactly what you're doing right now if you feel you absolutely NEED to be awakened, which is not suprising, since the ego is a infinite void seeking to fill itself (which he cannot).

 

Don't stop meditating, it has too much health benefit, but stop the search, STOP THE SEARCH,

If your mind isn't rock solid, and if you don't have total independancy in your life, just stop.

That was helpful.

[Spiral Wizard]

On 12/19/2016 at 11:30 PM, Leo Gura said:

What we have here is a case of mistaken identity

lmao doctors in 500 years

[ihmuud]

Hey @Leo Gura

I just wanted to thank you for the video you have created about emotions control on YouTube.

and I have a small comment, if you agree I believe when you mentioned (the filter) I think it should be designed as a cavity made of elastic composition that only triggers instantaneous emotions helps motion going forward (Paradigm).

Let’s keep the momentum!

cheers

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by ihmuud

[Timothy21]

Dear Leo,

Thank you so much for all you do. Your work is profound. 

I hesitate to enter into this discussion, because it draws my energy into it. I was simply wondering if you have read "The End Of Your World", by Adyashanti? I feel it is quite unique, and very appropriately related/meaningful/relevant to your research. Of course, Adyashanti recommends not using psychedelics for the pursuit of spiritual development. But, that is not a problem.

The content of this book (subtitled "uncensored straight talk on the nature of enlightenment") is very interteresting, as I toggle between your most recent videos after your 30 days experiment and this book. Many parallels. 

That is all. Thank you again, deeply.

[The0Self]

Just know, at the end of the day: what you're truly looking for, above all else, is something you will never experience, because it's already here, and it's all there is.

[Daphnedenninghoff23]

Going to do this every day. Thankyou Leo. 

[kevinspacy]

As we bid goodbye to the year that was and step into another, we invite you to join us on a three day journey to 'Reset, Refresh and Re-heart' for 2021. Visit : https://heartfulness.org/en/refresh2021/

[Taterbug]

Hey , My name is Tate and I'm brand new here. I'm glad to join the group , Can anybody drop a few links for the current meditation your using ? Comment Below plz ?

[freejoy]

Enlightenment

I seem to be a feeling more than anything, a vibration maybe. Not thought, or a body, but a collection of systems within systems that give rise to this thing.  But it seems to come together as a feeling imprint. And that feeling, vibration is constantly changing according to its environment. Changing growing, adapting.

We could say that this thing is inside the infinite bubble of consciousness, like a bacteria inside the body's intestinals, they probably don't know what they are doing in there, but are affected by the body.  Liver cells don't know probably either.

Enlightenment seems to be a very honorable end.  And that's the problem. Ending. Who wants to end? 

For example:

Say, in this world we are like ice cubes. When we die after Enlightenment we liquify then diffuse.  The body's atoms diffuse in the ground, our energy, etheric and consciousness diffuses and merge back into the All.  You become nothing and everything.

This ego thinks "you better think twice before you jump" ...is that what God is up too?

I mean, if you think about it, it seems this has been going on for a long time.  Ask the Enlightenment One what happens after they die. They don't have a clue.  I suppose they are going to "sit" around radiating Love, then somehow start all over again, maybe create another big bang and another space/time event in some other dimension.  It seems like getting this complex human together was no small feat, who wants to start all over?

So Enlightenment appears to be very sacrificial because one is giving up their individuality altogether. At least for the reminder of their life they get to enjoy bliss.

I know science can't ever understand the Absolute because science can only study the "dream" or the physical world. But God/Universe seems to be doing more. We have quantum computers coming online, gene editing, and space travel. Maybe the end of death itself. 

Maybe we could do a little 5 meo-DMT and see who we are then get on with creating a paradise on earth.

Thank you

Edited February 26, 2021 by freejoy

[freejoy]

.

Edited February 28, 2021 by freejoy

[Indie]

Hey guys. I'm Indie Im 19... I have no gender but that wasn't an option btw Leo... and I've been watching these videos for a while. Spiritual gifts run through my family. I had my first taste of Nirvana (nothingness, unity, peace, lack of distinction) at 15 but it was completely random and out of context and I didn't understand it at the time. I thought I had dissociative disorder my whole life, then I understood it as a non-dual state and feel blissful there.  I had a few enlightenment experiences after hard work with contemplation, meditation, astral projection, and tripping, but contemplation being the biggest factor. To clarify what I mean by enlightenment is the understanding of the infinite nature of the universe, especially complete acceptance/ love and experiencing and perceiving life as very trippy even when Im sober, detachment from self, desirelessness, and nothingness all stemming from an indescribable awakening/ that left me sobbing tears of joy for hours because EVERYTHING MADE SENSE and it's so beautiful. Now I am in college and the material world seems so silly to me, even though I understand it's importance in human perspectival development, I am trying to figure out how to be true to self and Self while figuring out how I want to fit in this world with this new understanding without dropping out and disappointing my parents. I want to become some sort of neo-sage who helps people awaken but in a more modern way to appeal to my generation. I've already started leading yoga and helping people astral project and asking dogmatic young Buddists existential questions but I can't help but look at the world and wish I could do more because of how unconscious culture is and how much suffering it causes. Basically, I'm confused because of how transcendent of logic enlightenment/awakening is and my mind constantly trying to make sense of it and I'm also confused about what to do with my life with this new understanding because I bounce back from bliss zen detachment with no motivations or desires, and a completely zoomed out experience, to the egotistical material world that seems rather trash in this society. I need to understand how to aline ego self, God self/realization, and my life in a way that feels authentic. 

I feel like a lot of Leos videos show you how to get enlightened but not what to do with it our how to cope with it, because while beautiful, it's rather visceral and confusing to the psyche and ego. I know Love is the answer ultimately but I wanted to hear out some practical solutions or ideas.

Also I'm trying to talk to other enlightened/awakened people because I have a hard time expressing/discussing all these meta perspectives in my current friend group I always feel like I can't explain it, its over heads, or woo woo. I also need to learn how to talk to different places on the spiral and reach people where they are. 

[Egoisego]

Have never liked Leo, always saw him for what he is. A guy who (intentionally or not) makes this way journey to something it isn't.  

Do not let your ego make this thing to a thing which your ego needs to beat (Leo's state now).

 

And to your other, you failed at one of the very first steps: Do not make idols.

 

Thanks for the fun it bring to look back in hindsight, right once again, still not sure what I should do about this peoplereading skill of minr but whatever. But also more sure then ever that ego's exist. Some too big to be enlightened. ?

[Someone here]

@Akos what's the benefit of this info?