It really is simple:

There's one consciousness. The ego makes it seem like there's a "me" and "you", when in reality, we're all one.

In order to realize this, the heart needs to be pure.

The heart is purified of vasanas (past tendencies) through sadhana (spiritual practice).

With a pure heart one can see God. It literally says that in The Bible.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say that someone can't perceive God with their normal eyes, but that God gives the devotee spiritual eyes, which can be used to perceive him.

The direct perception of God is when individual consciousness merges with infinite consciousness. This is what's known as yoga (union).

Nirvikalpa Samadhi is when meditation no longer takes effort and seeking drops away. You realize your oneness with consciousness. The drop of water loses its identity in the ocean and becomes the ocean. The wave returns home to its source, like The Prodigal Son returns to his father in the parable.

This realization is your birthright as a human being. Your suffering will end because without an "I", who's left to suffer?

Don't kick against the pricks!

When you reach something that the mind desires, the reason for the relaxation is not the thing itself but the cessation of mental activity. so the only thing the mind actually desires is the present.

eckhart tolle said this in one of his videos. "why does it feel good to pet a dog, because the dog is consciousness itself, it has no perspective on you" and then he went on, stroking a person's head will of course increase mental activity, you can't go and say to a person "may i pet you?" lol

"Pain functions as a warning sign to prevent or avoid danger or harmful situations, while pleasure promotes situations that enhance survival and well-being. Therefore, the human mind is often oriented towards preventing pain and enhancing pleasure."

Be

For those of you that enjoy walking meditation as you are refining your enlightenment as God embodied people, this is a great practice to add to your sodhana. It will help you refine your energy and connect you with God through one of the most powerful forces of awakening in life, Love.

https://jameszatopa.com/index.php/lessons/the-art-of-heavening-sun-walking/

https://youtu.be/IheL31luaEs?si=sPuSHi7f7KT81cmD

So, I've got this somewhat funny, but totally true story about how I started meditating, and it all ties back to my ex. We used to live together and, as much as I loved her, her morning routine could drive anyone to seek some serious zen. She had this habit of setting about five alarms to wake up every morning. Each alarm had a different, equally jarring ringtone, and they were set at seven-minute intervals because she read somewhere that it was the optimal gap for waking up refreshed.

Well, I'm not sure about refreshed, but it definitely woke me up... and kept me up. After a couple of weeks of this, I was seriously sleep deprived and pretty grumpy most mornings. A friend of mine noticed and half-jokingly suggested I try meditation to "find my inner peace" or at least drown out the sound of alarm number three, which sounded like a foghorn.

Out of sheer desperation, I gave it a shot. I started with just ten minutes in the morning, right after the Great Alarm Symphony. To my surprise, it actually worked. It helped me start my day on a calm note, no matter how chaotic the wake-up call was. Even after we broke up (for unrelated reasons), I've kept up with meditation. It's really changed my approach to stress and life in general.

So, thanks to my ex's love for multiple alarms, I found a habit that genuinely improves my daily life. Funny how things turn out, right?

trying to "unconditionally love" simply will not get you "there". Love for mankind certainly has its merits within the world, no one is denying that. But as far as enlightenment goes, that is not the way. Discovering Truth is ALWAYS a matter of subtraction. It is always right in front of your eyes (or behind them ;)) but it is clouded by... not truth, or illusion. It is called self realization for a reason. brutally and unapologetically strip everything (and i mean EVERYTHING) away until you find what is and always has been and always will be REAL. All is illusion EXCEPT that which knows it to be so. That being said... the whole unconditional love thing stands explained once the self is realized. It is a purely neutral love. not a shred of condition. TRUE love is beyond two. I should also add, there is absolutely NOTHING inherently wrong with being asleep. But given the name of this sub, i am making this post. So, to anyone who genuinely seeks truth: wake up first. wake up with complete selfishness AND THEN see what this whole love thing is about. IMO, alot in here actually seek some sort of mental pleasure or bliss and then frame it as unconditional love or enlightenment. I know the type. I was stuck on the love train for quite some time. Eventually thought i was the next Jesus and had to save mankind! There is no one to save friends. Unconditional love is, at best, only a pointer. Seek the truth and all will be well.

I wanted to comment to a post with almost an identical title, however, the comment was probably too long or was unable to be posted by the system for some other reason, thus, I am making a post with the same question and posting my comment as explanation. I thank the original author for the interesting question.

​

This affirmation implies that existence has purpose, like the existence of everything in itself is destined to turn into purpose.

In this case, is purpose the same as result, in meaning?

If one says that our ego will have a result, for its existence, this is true.

If one says that enlightenment has a result, for its manifestation, this is also true. So, until now, these two aspects have found a place where they stand together as value.

However, purpose implies not just any result, but a most beneficial and orchestrated result. In this case, the ego is much like compost or base for the enlightenment, rather than something that would be similar to the ego. In this context, the ego is a construct necessary for the formation of the enlightenment, but rather for its initial state. Therefore, it would not be further required.

However, it may be that the ego can never be removed while being in this world, thus, what does it imply, if true? It could mean that the ego is the guardian of matter, and that it might be the very gatekeeper of the enlightenment experience, at some stage, just as it could be a booster for the enlightenment at another stage.

In essence, they are different and complimentary, but in reality they do not work all that much together: Enlightenment has unseen effects, with results that can hardly be accounted for, so it has difficult to observe and register, while the ego is a motion vector meant to navigate the dense reality which attracts attention and leaves traces continuously. But then again, enlightenment can have effects which one could clearly observe from within and trace with exactness through the mechanics of consciousness.

This paradox fits with the construct of reality, paradoxical as well. As for the means in which one influences another, this is probably infinite in reach and possibilities, so there is no clear delimitation. One is affected by the other, without working together, and are complementary, while being antagonistic. For one to start, the other has to be dominated? After one grows, the other one expands, but needs to take the charge in return, just for the situation to repeat again? At another level? Hard to say, how long would this continue, of it really takes place like that, but, it does seem, in some cases, to function as such.

If it does work as such, it would imply that they are connected inverted-proportionally and that, finally, they would also depart together, but reduced to one unit. So, just as some part of the personality of the soul is imprinted in the ego, or becomes imprinted in some cases, just as so, the soul takes along parts of the ego, further, as experience and even more.

Not the ego itself, though, not all of it. But, what is the ego? How people perceive themselves after awakening? For myself, this is hard to explain, impossible to limit or define, and ever changing so, not very clear. It may be that perhaps, after the death of the ego, the new ego is not so much ego any longer, but a child, of the former passed ego and the soul, leading the united self towards enlightenment. The new ego perhaps needs to die again, making another child ego, which, in turn, grows and dies as well, and all of this, until the new ego is "educated" (enough) to cross through the veil and fulfills the earthly requirements to become released from the gravity. in some sense, it is as being trained by the soul to fly.

This birthing and dying ego, can be within the same life-time, and continue after, just as well. A person ca lose their ego in their life-time once, or more times, or never, just at the end through bodily death.

This last presumption would imply that when one dies as ego, they also completely lose some parts of the self, including memories and parts of personality. This image can be further made complex by relationships, and their nature and result could be interpreted through this pattern, in the cases in which the relationship is sufficiently intense.

If this is true, it would imply that a person can really choose the speed and increase the intensity of the experience, should they be able to suffer the consequences and have the strength to deal with the pain incurred by these experiences of death and rebirth. Because, of course, probably, many can lose their minds, lose their will to live, lose their way and lose other aspects in this journey towards the source.

And this journey, it is between ourselves and the world, and ourselves and ourselves, and can be coursed perhaps in both manners. If we accept this new presumption, how we can think that they would take place? Perhaps alternate, one by one, once again, dominating one over the other one, in turns, like a spiraling helix?

If I contemplate this image, thinking of the experienced life, it does feel as after serious relationships there was always a long and strange pause, in which I was becoming something else, just to die and then switch to the other form of growth, through the partner, again, later. What about marriage then? Perhaps when one separation occurs for some reason, this different and singular type of self growth would take place. What about sexuality? Hard to add this new layer into the current image, however, it is probably present in both aspects, and, again, in some periods more than in others, as in a cycle.

As the image includes self and exterior self, higher self and ego, in similar antagonistic but complimentary manners, it does seem, if we continue to generalize, that love can be seen as a medium of growth/catalyst, through the relationship idea, and now as well, between higher self and ego as well.

So, the higher self loves the ego, and the ego loves the higher self, and the more these two different selves can change themselves for the other one, and sacrifice parts of themselves in order to be able to change, the further they can reach. This is a second instance where both units have the same value.

And I think that this is beautiful.

In India, they are not called aliens, they are called visitors. Something to ponder. Are they enlightened?

https://youtube.com/shorts/KqvL1D4d4Zg?si=k6oC7gJNafo-b-xD

If there’s no real “I”. If most of our behavior is just based on conditioned actions. Since our core identity of this was formed during our early years by how peers treated us. If we are manipulated by social media. If we are part of the universe living in a human made system that’s forever changing.

Isn’t it just obvious? I feel like why was I ever hard on myself or judgmental of others. I feel a bit ashamed.

I see myself trying to get more and more pleasure, i try to avoid sensations which are uncomfortable, i run away from boredom which kills my creativity and my ability to work. The right path seems to have lot of resistance, i cant handle it i just quit and go back to seeking pleasure. How do i manage this?

I put away my little ego and put on my big old panties and became the hero I always dreamt of. I had to take a fat diarrhea on my expectations and premeditations, and bid adieu to my grandiosity. And let me tell you. What a spicy deliciousness it is to be enlightenment being. A spiritual genius who is worlds above these narcassisists who cannot comprehend empathy. but me, I cry over people as they talk. I love these enlightenment panties. I realize that I am above most people. If you are reading this you probably dont understand, but I hope my skills are inspiring.

For a long while I've 'known' that every thing is merely an empty concept, but it just clicked as a deep realisation [which itself is empty]

How can there be practice when there is no person to practice and no thing to practice. How can there be clinging when there is no thing to cling to, or no agency to orchestrate the clinging? How can there be Buddhism when in reality there is just this, the illusionary fabrications of formless timelessness.. which isn't itself a thing.

'Buddhism' 'spirituality' 'awakening' are merely empty concepts that point to this.. This which is no THING or THINGS, but at the same time everything.

How about instead of enlightenment there is attainenment, and we live purely off of attainments. No permanence, only a state of permanently revolving show of temporaryness. ATTAINMENT! ATTAINMENT! ATTAINMENT.

I jump from my temporary peace to my momentary bliss that will last for a few hours back to my temporary peace back to the Christ Consciousness I got the description from my favorite book, back to another few hours of bliss. I meditate into the void, communing with God, Goddess, and the cosmic jester. I sleep in lucid dreaming, then astral travel back to my meditation chair where I rise to the 4th Jhana, accepting my certificate of Buddhahood, while manifesting my favorite pile of cash, with my Kundalini rushing up my spine.

Attainment! Attainment! Attainment!

vs some lame stupid enlightenment which 'I am already' or some bullshit like that. Fuck lame enlightenment. Join me on the dark side of attainenment. Enlightenment is some bullshit no one can figure out. But here in attainenment land, you can do anything, be anything, and there is no one harassing you because in attainenment land, all is welcome. YOU CAN BE PRAISED AS THE MIGHTY BUDDHA, DALAI LLAMA, OR A ZEN MASTER. ATTAINMENT! Here in attainenment, you are recognized for your accomplishment. Ego death? Attainment! Surging ecstasy through your veins? Attainment? Self-realization? Attainment! DID YOU MANAGE TO NOT THINK FOR A WHOLE FUCKING HOUR? FUCKING ATTAINMENT!!!

We welcome all jhana masters, title holders, attainers of 'levels' of consciousness, 'levels' of awakenings, Kundalini wokesters, hell, even 'enlightenment claimers' are welcome. All are welcome in attainenment because the only standard of attainenment is that you have attained something-or-another.

Admit it, attainenment is 1000x better than lame enlightenment. THIS AINT YOUR GURUS ENLIGHTENMENT! THIS IS NEXT GEN! HEAVY METAL SPIRITUALITY. ATTAINENMENT IS THE FUTURE!!!

JOIN THE ATTAINENMENT MOVEMENT. FUCK ENLIGHTENMENT

Where does the idea come from that those who are enlightened don’t have feelings anymore? Those of you who think this, why? Is it certain teachers or texts? Things you’ve experienced or observed? I do not believe this to be true myself so I am curious how this idea became so pervasive?

Edited to clarify: I’m asking about a common misconception that I see regarding enlightenment. I consistently see people who think that being enlightened means you won’t be bothered by feelings. They think that enlightenment means you are somehow impervious to feeling. Some are actually pursuing enlightenment in hopes of one day being able to escape all feeling. I am curious to where this misunderstanding comes from. Is it just simply a misunderstanding of non attachment, or are there teachers and texts promoting this?

Comparing, worrying, seeking external validation. It’s a game I’m glad I no longer play.

What do you think an “Enlightened” person would act like? Their behaviors. I’d guess if you ever came across such an individual, you’ld probably just think they’re an ordinary person. In which you’d be right.

There is a deep, automatic enjoyment of EVERYTHING that happens in the universe

Hired to your dream job? Joy.

Married to the person of your dreams? Joy.

Fired from your dream job? Joy.

Divorced from the person of your dreams? Joy.

Here’s the complicated part: the joy I speak of is not for the person. Therefore, the person may be weeping in grief, yet the joy is still present.

The joy is beyond. The joy is enlightenment. The joy is you.

When this is realized, everything is exactly the way you want it to be

Because the way that you want it to be is the way that it is

Oh my God, only someone beyond ego could say something this absurd.

The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however,
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.

If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against anything.
To set up what you like against what you dislike 
is the disease of the mind.
When the deep meaning of things is not understood,
the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.

The Way is perfect like vast space
where nothing is lacking and nothing in excess.
Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or reject
that we do not see the true nature of things.

Live neither in the entanglements of outer things,
nor in inner feelings of emptiness.
Be serene in the oneness of things and such 
erroneous views will disappear by themselves.

When you try to stop activity by passivity
your very effort fills you with activity.
As long as you remain in one extreme or the other 
you will never know Oneness.

Those who do not live in the single Way
fail in both activity and passivity,
assertion and denial.
To deny the reality of things
is to miss their reality;
To assert the emptiness of things
is to miss their reality.

The more you talk and think about it,
the further astray you wander from the truth.
Stop talking and thinking,
and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

To return to the root is to find meaning,
but to pursue appearances is to miss the source.
At the moment of inner enlightenment
there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.
The changes that appear to occur in the empty world
we call real only because of our ignorance.

Do not search for the truth;
only cease to cherish opinions.
do not remain in the dualistic state.
Avoid such pursuits carefully.
If there is even a trace of this and that,
of right and wrong,
the mind-essence will be lost in confusion.

Although all dualities come from the One,
do not be attached even to this One.
When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way,
nothing in the world can offend.
And when a thing can no longer offend,
it ceases to exist in the old way. 

When no discriminating thoughts arise,
the old mind ceases to exist.
When thought objects vanish,
the thinking-subject vanishes:
As when the mind vanishes, objects vanish.

Things are objects because of the subject (mind):
the mind (subject) is such because of things (object).
Understand the relativity of these two
and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness.
In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable
and each contains in itself the whole world.
If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine
you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion.

To live in the Great Way is neither easy nor difficult.
But those with limited views are fearful and irresolute:
the faster they hurry, the slower they go.
And clinging (attachment) cannot be limited:
Even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment
is to go astray.
Just let things be in their own way
and there will be neither coming not going.
Obey the nature of things (your own nature)
and you will walk freely and undisturbed.

When the thought is in bondage the truth is hidden
for everything is murky and unclear.
And the burdensome practice of judging 
brings annoyance and weariness.
What benefit can be derived 
from distinctions and separations?

If you wish to move in the One Way
do not dislike even the world of senses and ideas.
Indeed, to accept them fully
is identical with enlightenment.

The wise man strives to no goals
but the foolish man fetters himself. 

There is one Dharma, not many.
Distinctions arise
from the clinging needs of the ignorant.
To seek Mind with the (discriminating) mind
is the greatest of all mistakes.

Rest and unrest derive from illusion;
with enlightenment
there is no liking and disliking.
All dualities come from ignorant inference.
They are like dreams or flowers in air -
foolish to try to grasp them.
Gain and loss, right and wrong,
such thoughts must
finally be abolished at once. 

If the eye never sleeps,
all dreams will naturally cease.
If the mind makes no discriminations,
the ten thousand things are as they are,
of single essence.
To understand the mystery of this One-essence
is to be released from all entanglements.
When all things are seen equally
the timeless Self-essence is reached,
No comparisons or analogies are possible
in this causeless, relationless state.
Consider movement stationary
and the stationary in motion,
both movement and rest disappear.
When such dualities cease to exist
Oneness itself cannot exist.
To this ultimate finality
no law or description applies.

For the unified mind in accord with the way
all self-centered striving ceases.
Doubts and irresolutions vanish
and life in true faith is possible.
With a single stroke we are freed from bondage:
Nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing.

All is empty, clear, self-illuminating, 
with no exertion of the mind's power.
Here thought, feeling, 
knowledge and imagination are of no value.

In this world of suchness 
there is neither self nor other-than-self.
To come directly into harmony with this reality
just say when doubt rises "not two".
In this "not two" nothing is separate,
nothing is excluded.

No matter when or where,
enlightenment means entering this truth.
And this truth is beyond extension 
or diminution in time and space:
In it a single thought is ten thousand years.

Emptiness here, emptiness there,
but the infinite universe
stands always before your eyes.
Infinitely large and infinitely small;
no difference, for definitions have vanished
and no boundaries are seen.

So too with Being and non-Being.
Don't waste time in doubts and arguments
That have nothing to do with this.

One thing, all things, 
move among and intermingle without distinction.
To live in this realization
is to be without anxiety about non-perfection.
To live in this faith is the road to non-duality,
because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind.

Words!
The Way is beyond language,
for in it there is 
no yesterday
no tomorrow
no today.

It was my ego that made me write that now I'm deleting it with my consciousness lol

...

https://preview.redd.it/kheielnqphyc1.jpg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=209a713c1c63797074e4aa751c97134e3854ca7e

Recently started my “journey” towards enlightenment after being gifted a book. I have never been religious or spiritual but after starting the book (the power of now) I’ve realized a lot of the daydreaming/thinking I’m doing is harmful to me. So i’m trying to make some changes. But I like it. I like creating imaginary scenarios in my head about what my future will look like, or what my past looked like, or even imaginary characters. Its comforting. I like it even when it gives me anxiety and makes my whole body tense or keeps me from sleeping. Ive done it ever since I was a kid. Its like I cant shut my mind off.

Ive been trying to meditate here and there which is going fine. Trying to be out in nature more. But mostly throughout the day, when I’m doing simple tasks, I notice my mind starts racing with these thoughts. I try to focus on my breathing or doing the task but the thoughts come in and out and in and out. Does this improve with time? How else can I quiet my mind??

Sorry if this post isnt relevant to what this subreddit is, again I’ve never been spiritual so im very new to all this :)

Right now you are having an experience of a universe…

AND right now you mistakenly believe that your awareness is WITHIN this experience

You mistakenly believe that your awareness is in your brain, and your brain is in your body, and your body is on the earth, and the earth is in the universe

It isn’t

Your awareness is not inside of your body

Just as the painter is not in the painting…your awareness is not within this universe

Your body is within this universe. Your awareness is not

Your awareness is beyond.

And you are that.