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Post by siftingtothetruth on Mar 12, 2020 13:36:43 GMT -5
What is awakening/enlightenment? It is the destruction of the false belief that you are a thinking, experiencing, doing person. When this happens, you live in your true nature, which is inexpressible, perfect, stainless, and unchanging. Actually, these last couple of sentences are not quite accurate, since the real truth is beyond words, but they are accurate enough. If you have a strong, unconflicted desire to awaken, the steps are very simple. Either self-inquire or ignore all thought. Self-inquiry means trying to locate the self-evident knowledge that you have that "I am," (that is, the source of awareness) and not accepting any particular sensation, thought, or feeling as it -- because the "I am" is aware of all these things. Simply focus on trying to find the real "I am" at all times. How do you do that? Every time you think the word "I," a bell chimes somewhere. Follow, as best you can, the sound of that bell. If you think you've found it, you haven't. Keep looking until there is clarity. If you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. Ignoring all thought (also known as surrender) is exactly what it sounds like. It's the simplest way of all. It's not about stopping or fighting thought. It's about moving your attention away from it. The TV could be on, but you could refuse to pay attention. Refuse to pay attention to thought. All thought. Repeat till clarity. Either self-inquire or ignore all thought every waking moment as you go about life. If you "lose it," come back to it. Keep doing that until there is clarity. If you do it intensely, clarity will come. Again, if you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. That is all it takes to awaken. Now if you do not have an unconflicted desire to awaken (this will become apparent if you have low motivation to do the above practices, or you keep getting seriously distracted by various other things), you can strengthen it by getting an intellectual framework around the awakening process (through association with and asking questions of a teacher, reading books and scriptures, etc.) and by dealing with your emotional baggage (this comes to being more honest about what you want -- psychoanalytic psychotherapy and artistic expression of your feelings can be very helpful with that). If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
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Post by zendancer on Mar 12, 2020 14:08:39 GMT -5
What is awakening/enlightenment? It is the destruction of the false belief that you are a thinking, experiencing, doing person. When this happens, you live in your true nature, which is inexpressible, perfect, stainless, and unchanging. Actually, these last couple of sentences are not quite accurate, since the real truth is beyond words, but they are accurate enough. If you have a strong, unconflicted desire to awaken, the steps are very simple. Either self-inquire or ignore all thought. Self-inquiry means trying to locate the self-evident knowledge that you have that "I am," (that is, the source of awareness) and not accepting any particular sensation, thought, or feeling as it -- because the "I am" is aware of all these things. Simply focus on trying to find the real "I am" at all times. How do you do that? Every time you think the word "I," a bell chimes somewhere. Follow, as best you can, the sound of that bell. If you think you've found it, you haven't. Keep looking until there is clarity. If you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. Ignoring all thought (also known as surrender) is exactly what it sounds like. It's the simplest way of all. It's not about stopping or fighting thought. It's about moving your attention away from it. The TV could be on, but you could refuse to pay attention. Refuse to pay attention to thought. All thought. Repeat till clarity. Either self-inquire or ignore all thought every waking moment as you go about life. If you "lose it," come back to it. Keep doing that until there is clarity. If you do it intensely, clarity will come. Again, if you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. That is all it takes to awaken. Now if you do not have an unconflicted desire to awaken (this will become apparent if you have low motivation to do the above practices, or you keep getting seriously distracted by various other things), you can strengthen it by getting an intellectual framework around the awakening process (through association with and asking questions of a teacher, reading books and scriptures, etc.) and by dealing with your emotional baggage (this comes to being more honest about what you want -- psychoanalytic psychotherapy and artistic expression of your feelings can be very helpful with that). If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Yes, it is that simple. Some of us are drawn to self-enquiry and some of us are drawn to ignoring thought. Either path leads to clarity.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2020 15:54:12 GMT -5
[...] Either self-inquire or ignore all thought. Self-inquiry means trying to locate the self-evident knowledge that you have that "I am," (that is, the source of awareness) and not accepting any particular sensation, thought, or feeling as it -- because the "I am" is aware of all these things. Simply focus on trying to find the real "I am" at all times. How do you do that? Every time you think the word "I," a bell chimes somewhere. Follow, as best you can, the sound of that bell. If you think you've found it, you haven't. Keep looking until there is clarity. If you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. [...] If you have any questions, feel free to ask. So, words like "look for the essence of consciousness [or awareness]", are also pointing at this same thing - the self-inquiry? Those were the words that first came to me, years ago, when I realized that I couldn't find an answer through the concepts of science.
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Post by siftingtothetruth on Mar 12, 2020 16:28:44 GMT -5
[...] Either self-inquire or ignore all thought. Self-inquiry means trying to locate the self-evident knowledge that you have that "I am," (that is, the source of awareness) and not accepting any particular sensation, thought, or feeling as it -- because the "I am" is aware of all these things. Simply focus on trying to find the real "I am" at all times. How do you do that? Every time you think the word "I," a bell chimes somewhere. Follow, as best you can, the sound of that bell. If you think you've found it, you haven't. Keep looking until there is clarity. If you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. [...] If you have any questions, feel free to ask. So, words like "look for the essence of consciousness [or awareness]", are also pointing at this same thing - the self-inquiry? Those were the words that first came to me, years ago, when I realized that I couldn't find an answer through the concepts of science. Yes, exactly.
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Post by zendancer on Mar 12, 2020 16:29:03 GMT -5
[...] Either self-inquire or ignore all thought. Self-inquiry means trying to locate the self-evident knowledge that you have that "I am," (that is, the source of awareness) and not accepting any particular sensation, thought, or feeling as it -- because the "I am" is aware of all these things. Simply focus on trying to find the real "I am" at all times. How do you do that? Every time you think the word "I," a bell chimes somewhere. Follow, as best you can, the sound of that bell. If you think you've found it, you haven't. Keep looking until there is clarity. If you have to ask whether there is clarity, there isn't. [...] If you have any questions, feel free to ask. So, words like "look for the essence of consciousness [or awareness]", are also pointing at this same thing - the self-inquiry? Those were the words that first came to me, years ago, when I realized that I couldn't find an answer through the concepts of science. Yes. This is the "stay in the I Am" approach of Nisargadatta, or the "become aware of awareness" approach. All of these approaches silence the mind, and it's the mind talk, ideas, and beliefs that obscure the truth. As the mind becomes increasingly silent, it's possible to simply watch everything that's happening without getting involved. Just watch.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2020 23:00:33 GMT -5
My favorite thread.
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Post by siftingtothetruth on Mar 12, 2020 23:42:30 GMT -5
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Post by laughter on Mar 13, 2020 1:52:03 GMT -5
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Why are you so heartless and mean? .. (..cue crying baby vid..) ..
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Post by siftingtothetruth on Mar 13, 2020 7:23:11 GMT -5
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Why are you so heartless and mean? .. (..cue crying baby vid..) .. Because some men just want to watch the world burn...
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Post by laughter on Mar 13, 2020 9:00:14 GMT -5
Why are you so heartless and mean? .. (..cue crying baby vid..) .. Because some men just want to watch the world burn... (** facepalm **)
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Post by justlikeyou on Mar 13, 2020 17:19:45 GMT -5
So, words like "look for the essence of consciousness [or awareness]", are also pointing at this same thing - the self-inquiry? Those were the words that first came to me, years ago, when I realized that I couldn't find an answer through the concepts of science. Yes. This is the "stay in the I Am" approach of Nisargadatta, or the "become aware of awareness" approach. All of these approaches silence the mind, and it's the mind talk, ideas, and beliefs that obscure the truth. As the mind becomes increasingly silent, it's possible to simply watch everything that's happening without getting involved. Just watch. "The witness is that which says 'I know'. The person says 'I do'. Now, to say 'I know' is not untrue, it is merely limited. But to say 'I do' is altogether false, because there is nobody who does; all happens by itself, including the idea of being a doer. The universe is full of action, but there is no actor. There are numberless persons small and big and very big, who, through identification, imagine themselves as acting, but it does not change the fact that the world of action (mahadakash) is one single whole in which all depends on, and affects all. The stars affect us deeply and we affect the stars. Step back from action to consciousness, leave action to the body and the mind; it is their domain. Remain as pure witness, till even witnessing dissolves in the Supreme." -Nisargadatta
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Post by zendancer on Mar 13, 2020 18:33:14 GMT -5
Yes. This is the "stay in the I Am" approach of Nisargadatta, or the "become aware of awareness" approach. All of these approaches silence the mind, and it's the mind talk, ideas, and beliefs that obscure the truth. As the mind becomes increasingly silent, it's possible to simply watch everything that's happening without getting involved. Just watch. "The witness is that which says 'I know'. The person says 'I do'. Now, to say 'I know' is not untrue, it is merely limited. But to say 'I do' is altogether false, because there is nobody who does; all happens by itself, including the idea of being a doer. The universe is full of action, but there is no actor. There are numberless persons small and big and very big, who, through identification, imagine themselves as acting, but it does not change the fact that the world of action (mahadakash) is one single whole in which all depends on, and affects all. The stars affect us deeply and we affect the stars. Step back from action to consciousness, leave action to the body and the mind; it is their domain. Remain as pure witness, till even witnessing dissolves in the Supreme." -Nisargadatta Yes. That's well stated.
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