Ralston Gives A Clear Answer To Metaphysical Love Question

[VeganAwake]

I think some of you are letting your conditioned minds run you around like chickens with their heads cut off!

I mean, I get it & yes it's super entertaining and all, but at some point, it should become obvious that a very creative imagination superimposing its concepts and beliefs overtop of reality does not make it true.

Reality doesn't care what you think about it. It doesn't need a label given to it. It doesn't need a human story of how or why placed onto it!

Enlightenment is not spinning endless conceptual stories off the top of the head about reality in an effort to make the self illusion feel more comfortable or grounded!

It's the end of the conceptualizer or spiritual materialist.

It's the disentangling from the socially conditioned matrix of mind known as " ME " 

It's literally the end of the individual trying to attain it or rather the revelation that it was never real to begin with. And so in that sense, enlightenment isn't real because it's the end of something that never started. 

Which is exactly where the saying comes from that "everyone is already enlightened"

Believing that there's more to reality than meets the eye is the bus ticket...... Clearly seeing that there's not is the ride home or the end of seeking!

When it comes to reality, there's only what Seems to be happening.

❤️ 

[Yimpa]

But for real, this is all of us right now

 

[Razard86]

https://www.actualized.org/insights/infinite-love-awakening

[Yimpa]

30 minutes ago, Razard86 said:

https://www.actualized.org/insights/infinite-love-awakening

This was also posted on my birthday, ha!

[Leo Gura]

11 hours ago, Water by the River said:

Ever considered there is something beyond your current level of Awakening and Understanding?

Yes, there is, but you ain't got it.

[Razard86]

9 hours ago, Osaid said:

Because it can never be understood by anything, wrong medium. Any concepts or communications are simply tools for pointing you "there", but they are absolutely not the thing itself and don't have much to do with it, in the same way that your understanding of the color red has nothing to do with the color red. You don't need any logic or understanding about the color red to see red.

You might feel like whenever enlightenment is described it feels like the description is jumping around something, and this makes perfect sense when you consider the above. For example, try describing the color red to someone who can't see, and then look at what your description looks like. It's always "jumping around" the experience itself, because of course you cannot convert it into a communication.

This is not to say that it is complex or out of reach, I am saying the opposite. It is super simple, and you literally need zero intellect for it. Cats are enlightened, worms are enlightened, babies are enlightened. It is precisely not intellect, in the same way that the color red is not intellect.

When humans develop the capability to imagine strongly, they extend that imagination as an "extra limb" so to speak, and they begin to act as if they are not infinite because they believe so. If you imagine that there is an alligator under your bed and you believe it, you will panic. If you imagine you are "a human" who is "this" and "that" and then believe it, you will panic. You will imagine tomorrow and be affected by it. You will imagine bills that need to be paid and be affected by it. You will imagine things that never happen and be affected by it.

Enlightenment, or the end result, is purely an experiential phenomenon, as if you are perceiving the color red or listening to music. No need to integrate any ideas or philosophies. It's just experienced. Either you're experiencing it or you aren't. There are no levels to it. Any "levels" experienced are not enlightenment and are instead awakenings/hints/breadcrumbs towards it, or just something else altogether.

Relatively, it is a permanent psychological recontextualization of your experience that is triggered by something, and then you just stay there forever. Not that it is inherently related to something relative like a brain, but that is how the universe "dreams up" the experience, so to speak.

Perhaps, to put it more succinctly, you are confused about spirituality because 99% of people who talk about it are also confused about it. Straight up, if you are not enlightened, you have no idea or clue what it is, and anything you claim about it is going to be from memory or imagination. This is why private workshops are done, where there is a teacher-student dynamic with someone who is confirmed to be enlightened. It has come to a point where people care more about their ideas about enlightenment rather than enlightenment itself. 

You know the best analogy you could have used is just say try to explain the color red to a blind person lol. 

[Razard86]

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by Razard86

[Princess Arabia]

9 hours ago, Razard86 said:

 

In the 2nd video from the 5:00 mark, Osho speaks about Awareness. He says there are things that cannot stand in your awareness, like anger, envy and hate. To keep the thread of awareness running through our actions and in life all anger, envy and hate will disappear miraculously. If we shine our light of awareness on these negative emotions, they will dissolve. We don't have to do anything; it happens by itself. Something similar to this, you can re-watch it if you have to, it's 5mins long. It is very powerful and profound.

My question is, to understand this fully, aren't we always aware; aren't we always awareness. Is focusing on something the same as expanding our awareness. Is placing our attention on something the same as focusing on it. Does something expand the more attention that is given to it. Is being aware the same as awareness. 

He says if we become aware of our anger and hatred with our awareness, it will start to dissolve, but aren't we always aware of it. He says anything that is not intrinsic to our nature will dissolve. Can you explain this part so I can understand what he's really saying. Thanks.

Edited September 14, 2023 by Princess Arabia

[Razard86]

44 minutes ago, Princess Arabia said:

In the 2nd video from the 5:00 mark, Osho speaks about Awareness. He says there are things that cannot stand in your awareness, like anger, envy and hate. To keep the thread of awareness running through our actions and in life all anger, envy and hate will disappear miraculously. If we shine our light of awareness on these negative emotions, they will dissolve. We don't have to do anything; it happens by itself. Something similar to this, you can re-watch it if you have to, it's 5mins long. It is very powerful and profound.

My question is, to understand this fully, aren't we always aware; aren't we always awareness. Is focusing on something the same as expanding our awareness. Is placing our attention on something the same as focusing on it. Does something expand the more attention that is given to it. Is being aware the same as awareness. 

He says if we become aware of our anger and hatred with our awareness, it will start to dissolve, but aren't we always aware of it. He says anything that is not intrinsic to our nature will dissolve. Can you explain this part so I can understand what he's really saying. Thanks.

You can also do pretend exercises like an Actor. Imagine something you can't stand right now. Maybe a painful memory from your past, or create a short dream scenario of an intense angerable offense. Now when anger arises...allow it to express and notice it JUST HAPPENS. Anything thatsgoes against your values/beliefs that you have not come to terms with will create a reactionary emotion. Notice how  you can observe it and not get pulled into it. 

We are always aware...but the spiritual practice involves one of two things. You can place awareness on awareness itself which is concentration, or you can just sit....or lie down...and don't put awareness on anything. Both achieve the same outcome.  

 

[Princess Arabia]

11 minutes ago, Razard86 said:

You can also do pretend exercises like an Actor. Imagine something you can't stand right now. Maybe a painful memory from your past, or create a short dream scenario of an intense angerable offense. Now when anger arises...allow it to express and notice it JUST HAPPENS. Anything thatsgoes against your values/beliefs that you have not come to terms with will create a reactionary emotion. Notice how  you can observe it and not get pulled into it. 

We are always aware...but the spiritual practice involves one of two things. You can place awareness on awareness itself which is concentration, or you can just sit....or lie down...and don't put awareness on anything. Both achieve the same outcome.  

 

Ok. Thank you. I am working on my reactionary time to how I respond to circumstances, people, places and things. Before I wasn't as aware, I didn't notice certain things. Now my awareness has expanded and my level of consciousness has become a bit elevated (if those are the right terms), it's not so comfortable anymore. They say ignorance is bliss and I can see why. But, at the same time, I don't want to be ignorant I want to become, i want to bloom, I want to shine. I AM these things, so I'm aware I have to wipe the windshield off in order to see clearly, to direct my energy where I can become a better version of all that I AM. This is a life-long journey and I have seen the difference in how I relate to myself and others already, but there is still growth to be made but I understand it's not more adding on but subtracting. I'm a perfectly made being because God is perfect. I am made in God's image so I am perfect, it's my perceptions and veils that I have to change not my BEINGNESS. The ISNESS just is, 

I am so excited to exist, I'm so excited to BE, so excited that sometimes I don't want to, sometimes I feel like I'm not living up to my true potential, sometimes I feel disappointed in myself, sometimes I feel I am letting down my true nature as God. Not morally, but existentially, he has given me life and I feel sometimes I'm not honoring that. The love I feel for God is beyond words, that sometimes I feel like I'm disappointing him. There's no guilt or shame, just ignorance. That's why my thirst for knowledge is so high. I feel his love inside of me everyday, minute and second, but I have conditioned that love and now I want to recondition it. 

This is why I'm still here, this is why I've developed courage and trying to understand, understand myself and the people around me. If not, there's no point. No point in existing, because I've given up on my own purpose of existence. I'm more concerned with how can I serve God for giving me this gift. This gift of life. How can I represent him. So that us my life purpose. My purpose driven life. My goal, Even though I understand that I AM the goal. That's why I want to recognize my true nature as God. God is thee only thing that's real to me, because it's all I see, INWARDLY. Thanks for reading this. It wasn't expected, just came out. Thank you Leo for the space in which to do this as I am not good at journalling on my own.

[gettoefl]

1 hour ago, Princess Arabia said:

In the 2nd video from the 5:00 mark, Osho speaks about Awareness. He says there are things that cannot stand in your awareness, like anger, envy and hate. To keep the thread of awareness running through our actions and in life all anger, envy and hate will disappear miraculously. If we shine our light of awareness on these negative emotions, they will dissolve. We don't have to do anything; it happens by itself. Something similar to this, you can re-watch it if you have to, it's 5mins long. It is very powerful and profound.

My question is, to understand this fully, aren't we always aware; aren't we always awareness. Is focusing on something the same as expanding our awareness. Is placing our attention on something the same as focusing on it. Does something expand the more attention that is given to it. Is being aware the same as awareness. 

He says if we become aware of our anger and hatred with our awareness, it will start to dissolve, but aren't we always aware of it. He says anything that is not intrinsic to our nature will dissolve. Can you explain this part so I can understand what he's really saying. Thanks.

before spiritual life we are 100% thoughts, goal of spiritual life is 100% awareness in other words your true nature

at the outset, awareness is experienced as the gap between two thoughts, that is you can only stop thinking for a few seconds

awareness is empty but not passive, peaceful but not powerless, real but veiled

thought is automatic and conditioned and relentless and survival oriented and illusory

at the outset you are wholly controlled by thoughts and you are not even aware that there is even an alternative

the gradual path is to go from having thought in foreground and awareness in background to having awareness in foreground and thought in background, namely from having thoughts as boss to awareness as boss

anger can't stand in the presence of awareness since anger is about imposing misery on people who i believe are out of line

awareness is the state of utter non-reactivity in the firm knowledge that everything right now is perfect

[Yimpa]

16 minutes ago, Princess Arabia said:

(if those are the right terms)

No need to be right; we are not in school.

[Yimpa]

11 minutes ago, gettoefl said:

anger can't stand in the presence of awareness since anger is about imposing misery on people who i believe are out of line

awareness is the state of utter non-reactivity in the firm knowledge that everything right now is perfect

Anger is Love, but you are too hung up on ideas to see that.

If someone has an anger problem, seeing a therapist is advisable. 

[gettoefl]

2 minutes ago, Yimpa said:

Anger is Love, but you are too hung up on ideas to see that.

If someone has an anger problem, seeing a therapist is advisable. 

the key insight is that everyone you meet acts from their current level of consciousness

direct anger at me all you wish, it is water off a duck's back, you will deal with it when you're ready

anger departed my arsenal long ago

[Razard86]

42 minutes ago, Yimpa said:

No need to be right; we are not in school.

Just messing with ya....

https://www.actualized.org/insights/the-school-of-life

[Yimpa]

2017: The School Of Life

2023: The School Of Love

[Ajax]

3 hours ago, Princess Arabia said:

Ok. Thank you. I am working on my reactionary time to how I respond to circumstances, people, places and things. Before I wasn't as aware, I didn't notice certain things. Now my awareness has expanded and my level of consciousness has become a bit elevated (if those are the right terms), it's not so comfortable anymore. They say ignorance is bliss and I can see why. But, at the same time, I don't want to be ignorant I want to become, i want to bloom, I want to shine. I AM these things, so I'm aware I have to wipe the windshield off in order to see clearly, to direct my energy where I can become a better version of all that I AM. This is a life-long journey and I have seen the difference in how I relate to myself and others already, but there is still growth to be made but I understand it's not more adding on but subtracting. I'm a perfectly made being because God is perfect. I am made in God's image so I am perfect, it's my perceptions and veils that I have to change not my BEINGNESS. The ISNESS just is, 

I am so excited to exist, I'm so excited to BE, so excited that sometimes I don't want to, sometimes I feel like I'm not living up to my true potential, sometimes I feel disappointed in myself, sometimes I feel I am letting down my true nature as God. Not morally, but existentially, he has given me life and I feel sometimes I'm not honoring that. The love I feel for God is beyond words, that sometimes I feel like I'm disappointing him. There's no guilt or shame, just ignorance. That's why my thirst for knowledge is so high. I feel his love inside of me everyday, minute and second, but I have conditioned that love and now I want to recondition it. 

This is why I'm still here, this is why I've developed courage and trying to understand, understand myself and the people around me. If not, there's no point. No point in existing, because I've given up on my own purpose of existence. I'm more concerned with how can I serve God for giving me this gift. This gift of life. How can I represent him. So that us my life purpose. My purpose driven life. My goal, Even though I understand that I AM the goal. That's why I want to recognize my true nature as God. God is thee only thing that's real to me, because it's all I see, INWARDLY. Thanks for reading this. It wasn't expected, just came out. Thank you Leo for the space in which to do this as I am not good at journalling on my own.

❤️?❤️❤️❤️????

[Inliytened1]

Ralston is correct.  Enlightenment does not include notions of Love.  Because it is prior to notions.  And yet - there is pure Understanding.   For at its core that is what Consciousness and/or Being is.  And part of this understanding is realizing you are God.  Not the word God but the realization without notions or words.  This, in essence, is Love - but not the word Love - rather pure bliss.  Unity is bliss.   Ralston still has a notion of other because he still teaches.  Leo has stopped teaching altogether.   This tells me he has more understanding than Ralston.    Ralston's awakening was half baked.  But then he went on to teach what he could.  In none of his teachings will you find that all other exists within his mind.  This is because he did not realize he was God.  He did not fully awaken from the dream that is reality.  Ask him that - rather than fooling with the notion of Love.  For it matters not.

Edited September 14, 2023 by Inliytened1

[Osaid]

14 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

But then he went on to teach what he could.  In none of his teachings will you find that all other exists within his mind.

On the one hand you say Ralston is correct for not saying "Love", but then you fault him for not telling his students "By the way, other people don't exist." It's the exact same fallacy on both ends. Both will confuse the students. The former will probably do even worse, and it has, look at all the rampant solipsism threads on this forum. And it's not even that good of a way of describing it, a poetic half-truth at best.

16 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

Ask him that - rather than fooling with the notion of Love.

Someone did ask him, it was posted on this forum, and he had a good response. Can't be asked to look for it though. He basically said, "dude, you're stuck in intellectualizations about how other people are just zombies, wake up and do the work." The guy was a follower of Leo as well, that's where he got the idea from in the first place. So, case in point.

19 minutes ago, Inliytened1 said:

This tells me he has more understanding than Ralston.    Ralston's awakening was half baked. 

It's nothing like that, it's just that Ralston is enlightened and Leo isn't. 

[Inliytened1]

3 minutes ago, Osaid said:

On the one hand you say Ralston is correct for not saying "Love", but then you fault him for not telling his students "By the way, other people don't exist." It's the exact same fallacy on both ends. Both will confuse the students. The former will probably do even worse, and it has, look at all the rampant solipsism threads on this forum. And it's not even that good of a way of describing it, a poetic half-truth at best.

Someone did ask him, it was posted on this forum, and he had a good response. Can't be asked to look for it though. He basically said, "dude, you're stuck in intellectualizations about how other people are just zombies, wake up and do the work." The guy was a follower of Leo as well, that's where he got the idea from in the first place. So, case in point.

It's nothing like that, it's just that Ralston is enlightened and Leo isn't. 

Well - it sounds like Ralston dodged the question.  And I didn't say other people don't exist.  I said they exist with your mind as God.  So if that wasn't clarified I hope it is now.  

Edited September 14, 2023 by Inliytened1