In the age we live in, is it possible to maintain a high state of consciousness ?

[Javfly33]

...or are we doom to have "sparkles" of God/Love here and there?

Lately I´ve been clearing a lot my diet and my daily habits, and oh boy the intensity and sensibility to meditation is definitely getting some juicy results.

But I can't lie to myself, I still find hard to maintain a high state of consciousness once I'm done with the practice. 

Of course the fact that we can enter high states of consciousness just by our own, just clearing a lot of our diet, lifestyles and work-balance, its already quite good news. But I want the cake all day, not just 10 minutes a day.

What can we do? How much awakeness can you hold in modern societies? 

My theory is the more you settle your source of income, burn physical desires (like relationships, sex, dumb objects like cars...etc), the more you'll have a clear mind and the more ability you'll have to bask longer and longer in non-dual state of consciousness.

[Consilience]

6 hours ago, Javfly33 said:

What can we do? How much awakeness can you hold in modern societies? 

This depends on how intense your daily formally practice is, how often you're going on meditation retreats, and it depends on keeping up a technique 24/7. For me, the most effective forms of life practice are Shinzen's see hear feel or self inquiry. Lately self inquiry has had a lot of momentum in life as I'm going about my business. 

The biggest issue is this separation between practice and life. They have to merge and even more, the duality ultimately needs to collapse. (The spiritual bypassing version of this collapse is Neo Advaita) But when you talk to masters, unanimously they'll agree, practice must be maintained at all waking moments. 

So how much awakeness? In my experience, a lot more than I thought possible 1, 2, and certainly 3 years ago. Year by year the depth of the practice still amazes me, in both deep states of meditation and in life. Yet, the required work is, admittedly, enormous, however, so utterly worth it. 

[Leo Gura]

7 hours ago, Javfly33 said:

My theory is the more you settle your source of income, burn physical desires (like relationships, sex, dumb objects like cars...etc), the more you'll have a clear mind and the more ability you'll have to bask longer and longer in non-dual state of consciousness.

There is nothing new about this.

Monks and mystics have been turning towards asceticism and the hermit life since the dawn of civilization because the grind of daily surviving in a society is extremely distracting for spiritual consciousness.

You are not going to be massively awake by living a normal social lifestyle with a 9-5 job.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Leo Gura

[Danioover9000]

@Javfly33

7 hours ago, Javfly33 said:

...or are we doom to have "sparkles" of God/Love here and there?

Lately I´ve been clearing a lot my diet and my daily habits, and oh boy the intensity and sensibility to meditation is definitely getting some juicy results.

But I can't lie to myself, I still find hard to maintain a high state of consciousness once I'm done with the practice. 

Of course the fact that we can enter high states of consciousness just by our own, just clearing a lot of our diet, lifestyles and work-balance, its already quite good news. But I want the cake all day, not just 10 minutes a day.

What can we do? How much awakeness can you hold in modern societies? 

My theory is the more you settle your source of income, burn physical desires (like relationships, sex, dumb objects like cars...etc), the more you'll have a clear mind and the more ability you'll have to bask longer and longer in non-dual state of consciousness.

   On the individual level you could do something about raising your baseline state of consciousness here and there a little bit, but it's trickier at the collective level, while dealing with new technological advances that further complexes and widens distractions, on top of the errosive nature of social media consumption to one's focus and deep work, mixed in with all the hard core to soft core addictions not only you deal with, but what other people deal with wjile trying to include you into their addiction patterns.

   It's the nature of societal development, value systems, personality traits, cognitive and moral development, psychological development, states of being and life experiences.

   Many methods out there to increase focus, and for me it's just been to spend less time online in social media consuming too much pop culture, and more time building concentration and mindfulness.

[Razard86]

8 hours ago, Javfly33 said:

...or are we doom to have "sparkles" of God/Love here and there?

Lately I´ve been clearing a lot my diet and my daily habits, and oh boy the intensity and sensibility to meditation is definitely getting some juicy results.

But I can't lie to myself, I still find hard to maintain a high state of consciousness once I'm done with the practice. 

Of course the fact that we can enter high states of consciousness just by our own, just clearing a lot of our diet, lifestyles and work-balance, its already quite good news. But I want the cake all day, not just 10 minutes a day.

What can we do? How much awakeness can you hold in modern societies? 

My theory is the more you settle your source of income, burn physical desires (like relationships, sex, dumb objects like cars...etc), the more you'll have a clear mind and the more ability you'll have to bask longer and longer in non-dual state of consciousness.

I say follow your signature....embrace the game. Choose to play the game however you want. If you desire to be high conscious as much as possible you may need to make even more drastic changes, if not, then all is well. But the truth is...all is always well. I believe the most important thing is to understand....there is no best way to be. Just choose to be whatever fits your highest ideals. 

The whole point of spirituality is to show you absolute truth, and relative truth and then for you to figure out what most resonates with you. All the teachings are just guides to help you realize the highest potentiality and then after you interpret the teachings you implement it in whatever way you can.

The most important teaching is "self love" love of all the selves, all of reality itself. So don't get too hung up on high consciousness, lest you start creating a duality and spiritual ego.

[puporing]

If you have to deal with people or be in relations with them in one form or another, practicing discernment (of what's true) is pretty crucial and establishing the space required for "independent thought". Finding people who can respect how you see things and ideally minimizing contact with sources of "untruths"/"constructions". 

Over time this process will lead you to be more independent quite naturally and as you work on more independent ways of having an income.

Edited September 5, 2022 by puporing

[Javfly33]

7 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

 

You are not going to be massively awake by living a normal social lifestyle with a 9-5 job.

Bet. But even if it's not the most awake state, there is a very large spectrum of states between Awake consciousness and a normie mainstream state of consciousness. 

Btw I think you should do a video about energetic levels / states of consciousness. For example is a joyful or excited state of consciousness more close to God that for example a sad or anxious state /energetic state of consciousness? Things like that

So basically the point is going up and up until of course your material "obligations" won't allow to go any further (so you'll have to settle or either surrender the material 'obligations')

I guess my question is how much High you can ascend while maintaining a 9-5 job ?

[Leo Gura]

Funny enough it is easier to ascend high with a mindless job than a highly intelligent and creative one.

You could ascend pretty high as a janitor. Because you got nothing to think about or stress about and no one to talk to.

It's socializing what really kills you. Socialization in like cancer for intelligence and consciousness. If you want to be intelligent, stop socializing. The more you socialize the dumber you will get, until you turn into Joe Rogan.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Leo Gura

[Someone here]

8 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

It's socializing what really kills you. Socialization in like cancer for intelligence and consciousness. If you want to be intelligent, stop socializing. The more you socialize the dumber you will get, until you turn into Joe Rogan.

Not at all.

Enlightenment does not hinder one from talking or having friends.

However, depending on the kinds of conversation and/or friends…you may find you don’t have much interest in them anymore. You may find yourself more inclined to speak about spiritual topics and hang out with more spiritual people.

Or nothing may change.

Enlightenment doesn’t cause any difficulties at all.

Enlightenment includes becoming compassionate. People like those who are compassionate, but an enlightened person is not more attached to one person than another.

[Leo Gura]

44 minutes ago, Someone here said:

Enlightenment does not hinder one from talking or having friends.

That's not the point.

The point is, talking to and having friends hinders one from enlightenment.

Have you never wondered why humans are so damn stupid?

Hint: it isn't an accident. Show me a human with 100 friends and I'll show you a fool.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Leo Gura

[Tyler Robinson]

You'll need to separate yourself from materialism. 

 

[Javfly33]

56 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Funny enough it is easier to ascend high with a mindless job than a highly intelligent and creative one.

You could ascend pretty high as a janitor. Because you got nothing to think about or stress about and no one to talk to.

It's socializing what really kills you. Socialization in like cancer for intelligence and consciousness. If you want to be intelligent, stop socializing. The more you socialize the dumber you will get, until you turn into Joe Rogan.

Yea right? And the worst is that you have to embrace devilry if you want to not get pushed around in some social environments. Specially work environments. But also entails even non-work environments. 

What do you do when you out clubbing in Vegas? I imagine you have to brainwash yourself consciously to become dumb for 5-6 hours so you can mingle correctly and not look as an "outsider" ??

[Leo Gura]

3 minutes ago, Javfly33 said:

What do you do when you out clubbing in Vegas?

I lose 70 IQ points

[Greatnestwithin]

6 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

That's not the point.

The point is, talking to and having friends hinders one from enlightenment.

Have you never wondered why humans are so damn stupid?

Hint: it isn't an accident. Show me a human with 100 friends and I'll show you a fool.

@Leo Gurathere is nothing like intimate relationships to wake us the fuck up! 

[Leo Gura]

4 minutes ago, Greatnestwithin said:

@Leo Gurathere is nothing like intimate relationships to wake us the fuck up! 

There is nothing like intimate relationships to distract you from waking up.

[Proserpina]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

Funny enough it is easier to ascend high with a mindless job than a highly intelligent and creative one.

You could ascend pretty high as a janitor. Because you got nothing to think about or stress about and no one to talk to.

It's socializing what really kills you. Socialization in like cancer for intelligence and consciousness. If you want to be intelligent, stop socializing. The more you socialize the dumber you will get, until you turn into Joe Rogan.

This is oddly comforting especially since I can’t make friends or socialise to save my life.

[Tyler Robinson]

I bet you can easily find high consciousness friends out there.

 

[Breakingthewall]

Is say that it is almost impossible, or at least much more difficult for someone who is married and has children to awake. He's too into his own business. that is why in all traditions monks are celibate

[Someone here]

8 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

That's not the point.

The point is, talking to and having friends hinders one from enlightenment.

Have you never wondered why humans are so damn stupid?

Hint: it isn't an accident. Show me a human with 100 friends and I'll show you a fool.

I don't necessarily know if I'm enlightened. I know I view the world in what I consider to be an awakened state, but that doesn't mean I'm quite as awakened as the Buddha.

I do know that I let go of many of my friends when I began to awaken. I began to search for more real, honest and true friendships. I lost interest al gatherings .

So, I isolated myself by searching for truth, and now I've begun to find like minded people. I'm not so isolated, I simply don't search to be accepted by others

People want to be surrounded by people like them. It's a big factor why the average (high IQ individual) has less friends than the average (low IQ person). There's just more average people than there are brilliant. If you’re in the top 1% of intelligence that means that literally 99% of people are going to be below your level intellectually (and therefore possibly mentally, emotionally, socially).

Imagine you're in the top 1% of enlightenment.

That means you're going to want to be in a community of or friends with similar people but there just aren't many. 

[Tyler Robinson]

1 minute ago, Someone here said:

do know that I let go of many of my friends when I began to awaken. I began to search for more real, honest and true friendships. I lost interest al gatherings .

That's actually a good sign. I did the same and I don't regret it.