Different paths. Best path to awakening?

[PedroCedro]

Hey, here Pedro, I'm new in this forum so grateful to be part of this. I have been following this forum and Leo's youtube channel for some months and It has been very enriching, I didn't expect to find such advanced material in my entire life, thank to all, in particular to Leo.

I have been doing serious spiritual work and studying various facets and teachings of spirituality for the last 15 years, my goal from the begining has been to attain total awakening.

Until one year ago or so, I had been following a totally intelectual oriented path to total awakening but for not seeing results I started to question my path and to ask people here and there about their path. I wasn't satisfied with the answers I got so I thought that I needed to start all from the scratch. Thinking and thinking I reached the conclusion that my totally intelectual oriented path wasn't efficient and that I needed a more love oriented path like 90% love oriented and 10% intelectual oriented. So this wanted to say that I needed new spiritual teachings, theories and practices. In a meditation retreat in Jaen, Spain a few months ago an American guy told me about Leo's teachings, forum, youtube material... And how Leo was following a very integral path to awakening with love oriented path, so that's how i got here.

Since I started studying Leo's teachings and doing specific spiritual work I feel that I'm progressing very very fast, I feel like I'm very awake all the time, very loving with people, very grateful with all the aspects of life, now I can see the power of love comparing rationality, and now It looks like I have been wasting years until I got to Leo's teachings. So I feel good things are coming.

So that's a bit about me.

So what do you think guys about different paths, how are you orienting your spiritual path? What is the most efficient path? All insights are welcome.

That's it

[Leo Gura]

Good, welcome.

But to awaken what you need is to change your state of consciousness. Nothing else will work.

If your state doesn't radically change, there is no awakening. So be careful fooling yourself with saintly behavior. That's nice but not awakening.

[Kksd74628]

@PedroCedro

Efficient for what, what do you think awakening is and what you really want from your life?

-joNi-

Edited May 20, 2022 by Kksd74628

[PedroCedro]

@Leo Gura Thanks Leo, yeah I'm very aware of it, serious work is the key, bit by bit

@Kksd74628 Like I said I have the impression that until I started questioning my intelectual path I have had no progression, so I started to search a more direct path, a more efficient and faster path to awakening, like I want to attain total awakening in this life, in my body's life. 

For me total awakening means to be conscious of my true nature, but since I'm not enlightened I don't know what is awakening

That's my goal in this life

 

[Kksd74628]

@PedroCedro

Let's start with an easy things. There is nothing outside of what you perceive and when you understand that, you will get everything else.

[PedroCedro]

@Kksd74628 I understand that conceptually, but I'm aware that until I have direct experience I'm fooling myself believing that I'm a human being on the earth

[Kksd74628]

@PedroCedro

You can always do some meditation practices or take psychedelics, but first answer: why do you think that earth exists?

[PedroCedro]

@Kksd74628 Well I don't know if exists or not

[Raze]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTUEinAs42I

[PedroCedro]

@Raze A good prespective

[ndm678]

Pick your path(s). All roads lead to Rome, eventually, if your going in the right direction for that peticular road. The trick is realize this, and not get overly attached to the road you choose. The only way to truly know is to travel your road.

If you happen to find yourself in 'Rome' it's important to accept that. And not get attached to that.

[Fernanda]

@PedroCedro For me it's trying new experiences and contemplating about them to integrate the lessons in real life. My life is really an experiment. Whatever you wanna try, go for it wholeheartedly, no dogma. All your fears will show up. And as Leo mentioned in his lastest video, behind the fears the treasures are found.

[UnbornTao]

If what you want is enlightenment -- becoming conscious of what you absolutely are --, I'd say contemplation is the most direct practice.

Intent to know the truth of your nature now. Ask: Who am I? until you become directly conscious of it. Keep contemplating while you integrate these enlightenments into your life. 

Study many perspectives but don't take them too seriously. In the end, validation has to be done through personal encounter with the reality of something.

I recommend checking out Ramana Maharshi. He seems genuine in a way that virtually no other teacher feels like, to me.

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, ndm678 said:

All roads lead to Rome, eventually,

Be careful assuming that. How do you know that's true?

[ndm678]

@Leo Gura I don't, for sure. I've arrived there by different roads. There isn't one method that universally works. We all need to find our way there, through our karmatic hang ups, beyond our methods.

Maybe I've only been to Rome NY, and am completely deluding myself. 

[Leo Gura]

36 minutes ago, ndm678 said:

I've arrived there by different roads.

"There"? Maybe there isn't a single "there" here.

[Breakingthewall]

hello Pedro, definitely awakening is the best you can "do". but what is awakening? I'd say it's just this. now. something quite simple, only we have put up so many barriers to realize it. you simply have to burst the structure of you, and let "this" expand and be. there is nothing mysterious, just the magic of existence that has always been.

what is the best way to blow away those pesky barriers that turn our experience into some kind of nasty shit? meditation and psychedelics. plenty of the first and enough of the latter. what psychedelic? Well, I recently tasted one, thanks to Leo, a true pioneer in this matter, 5 Meo Malt. I don't know what to say about this. I have no words.  a contribution to humanity, in my opinion. btw, I'm glad to find a compatriot, there are few here

[PedroCedro]

Thanks to all for the insights, I'm convinced that the best path is specific for each one, make different changes in practices, add complements, find different modes to tame ego...

[ndm678]

@Leo Gura There isn't a 'there' at all. It's like arriving in Rome, only to realize the starting point was Rome. But we got all wrapped up in the going and doing.

It's the ego's greatest disappointment

 

[WelcometoReality]

On 2022-05-20 at 0:31 PM, PedroCedro said:

So what do you think guys about different paths, how are you orienting your spiritual path? What is the most efficient path? All insights are welcome.

It's hard to say which path is most efficient. What I would say is that it's good to contemplate and integrate your realization but most of the work is practice. If I had to start over again I would have both formal and non-formal practices. 

Test which ones you benefit from mostly. I'd recommend strong determination sitting as formal and non-formal different mindfulness practices. Just being present is a great non-formal practice.