283 posts shown.
casualtiger2 said:It’s an oldie but a goodie—not too long-winded, either—for anyone looking to dive deep into Kundalini.
The Primal Power in man or The kundalini Shakti - Swami Narayananand
So, you think I'd be better off just studying Martinus on my own?
Why's that?
Sandra Murphy33 said:😲
It might have been better for you to skip the Theosophists entirely, much like Steiner did....
(Though, to be fair, he was involved with them before they split ways. If my memory serves, the rift happened because he wouldn't go along with their attempts to predict the next incarnation of certain figures...)
Brian Young76 said:Alright, I think I might need a bit of an explanation here.
I was just reading through this:
https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Classi...9576996&sr=8-3
At one specific moment, I felt this sudden flash of pure insight. I was looking at the formula regarding the velocity dependence of a particle with mass within an electromagnetic field—basically, how it changes based on the particle's charge. It’s really just a straightforward formula (m*dv/dt=q(E+vXB), something pretty standard that most people pick up by the end of high school or early college. But, because it's expressed here in vector form (using bold notation), it offers a much more powerful way to handle mathematical analysis. Anyway, out of nowhere, this intense visualization of the formula just hit me; I saw it right there in Euclidean three-dimensional space (to keep things simple, just our everyday space without any relativistic effects), and I saw it as if it were physically sitting right next to me, almost as if I could reach out and touch it. My goodness!!!
Could someone please explain, is this what people mean when they talk about having a "pure mind"?
I realize I probably sound like I've completely lost my marbles, but I truly, honestly saw it!!!
Brian Young76 said:Yes! YES! That is absolutely brilliant intuition right there! 🙂
Thank you so much! 😉
An intuition just struck me while reading this: I had previously written that this state is a byproduct of the dissolution of the 'self.' Are you suggesting that it isn't merely a byproduct, but rather the core essence of the whole thing?
Brian Young76 said:Yes, I think what you're writing is becoming much clearer now. 🙂
This sensation of the 'self' dissolving is growing stronger, and it seems increasingly obvious that the 'ego' or the 'I' has absolutely nothing to do with this pleasure. I guess all the 'I' really did was sincerely call upon the Spirit, and everything else just seemed to arrive independently of my own efforts.
However, for the time being, I have this intuition that it might not be wise to disregard the pleasure quite yet. It feels as though whenever pleasure appears, it carries its own purpose and deserves some level of attention. There is also this inner nudge to choose surrendering to the Spirit, which I believe includes letting go of any anxiety regarding how much time it might take for other transformations to occur.
And then, there is this profound sense of cosmic gratitude. Along with a certain sense of wonder... and peace.
🙂
Brian Young76 said:I suppose I should wrap up this thread as far as my own experience is concerned.
In the time since we last spoke, that sensation of pure bliss—which I mentioned briefly at the very beginning back on June 27th—has actually stabilized and grown significantly stronger. I’d say the intensity of this pleasure is roughly comparable to the most powerful sexual orgasms I’ve ever experienced, perhaps even a bit more potent than that, and it feels constant. It’s a sensation that permeates my entire body; I feel it in my arms, my legs, my spine, my internal organs, my lungs, my heart, my brain... it’s everywhere.
Another side effect that seems to have emerged in the interim is that my need for sleep has diminished quite a bit. For the last twenty days or so, I’ve been getting somewhere between four and five hours of sleep per night, yet I feel completely refreshed and brimming with energy during my waking hours. Previously, I was sleeping about seven to eight hours a day, and there were plenty of moments where I felt pretty exhausted throughout the rest of the day.
During this period, I’ve also begun to communicate directly with the Holy Spirit on a level of intuitive knowing. It’s been explained to me that this intense bliss is actually a manifestation of the Spirit, and that its fundamental purpose is to facilitate communication. I’ve found that if I listen to the Spirit and subsequently act in alignment with what is being conveyed—if I truly listen, attentively, with focus, and with an open heart and mind... then the bliss remains. If I wander off track or fail to listen carefully, the bliss begins to fade. I imagine that if I were to stray too far, the bliss would vanish entirely (though I haven't tested that, nor do I intend to).
I’ve also been told that if I remain truly attentive, my life from this point forward will essentially consist of 24 hours a day, 365.25 days a year, of pure bliss. Of course, the choice is mine, and I am making that choice every single moment. I’ve decided that I am going to try my absolute best to listen, and I think that’s really all there is to it.
It’s almost hard to believe how simple it can be! 🙂
A sort of byproduct of this decision is that I can feel very clearly that the old "me"—the version of myself that existed before June 27th—has started to fade away rapidly, becoming transparent and almost invisible. There’s still a little bit of him left, I guess, but those are just remnants of the past that will likely disappear completely very soon.
Now, is this bliss what people refer to as Kundalini? To be perfectly honest, I haven't the slightest clue; the concept of Kundalini is foreign to me, and I’ve never fully grasped it. And don't even get me started on all those mentions of Scorpio, Bulls, Lions, Phoenixes, and the rest of that menagerie. 😁
For the time being, I don't feel any particular urge to go digging further into that specific connection.
What I do feel a need to do is share. If anyone out there wants more information, please feel free to post here or just send me a private message.🙂
rowdyeagle3 said:I will simply address the question posed in the title—they are absolutely not the same thing.
Benjamin Taylor6 said:Paul Rogers94 As specified by:
Here is what Advaita says.;
The Ribhu Gita—it’s one of those texts that really forces you to sit still and actually listen, if you can manage to quiet the noise in your own head long enough to do so. It isn't just some light reading you pick up at a bookstore in Seattle; it’s a deep dive into the core of being. When I was digging through some old philosophical studies back in college, I remember thinking how much most modern "spiritual" advice misses the mark by focusing on the surface level stuff. They want the quick fix, the instant gratification—but the Ribhu Gita doesn't play those games. It’s about that fundamental, unshakeable reality that exists beneath all the chaos we call life. It’s intense, sometimes even a bit overwhelming, but if you approach it with the right mindset, it changes the way you see everything. Chapter 23.
There’s this concept—this intoxicating nectar of pure knowledge—that people tend to overcomplicate, but when you really sit with it, it becomes clear that the mind isn't just a vessel for information; it is absolutely saturated by it. It’s less like reading a book and more like being submerged in an ocean where every drop is wisdom. I was thinking about this the other day while staring out at the skyline in Chicago—just watching the chaos move below—and it struck me how we spend our entire lives trying to "acquire" knowledge as if it were some commodity we could grab off a shelf at a Target. We chase facts, we collect degrees, we hoard data... it’s exhausting. But true understanding? That nectar? It doesn't come from adding things to the mind. It comes from the realization that the mind is already drenched in it. It’s a bit like those old philosophical debates regarding the Holy Spirit and Kundalini—it’s about a state of being rather than a collection of things known. When the mind is truly filled with this essence, there is no longer a distinction between the seeker and the sought. You aren't looking for the truth anymore; you are simply breathing it. It's a heavy thought, I know—and perhaps a bit rambly—but once you stop treating wisdom like a trophy to be won, the saturation happens naturally. It's all around us, provided you aren't too busy cluttering your head with the trivialities of daily life.
I’m going to dive into the concept of Being-Consciousness-Bliss—which, let’s be honest, is naturally overflowing with joy. It isn't just some abstract idea; it is, quite simply, the very essence of all the Vedas and the Puranas.
There really aren't any differences—no duality, no pairs of opposites, nothing of the sort. Nothing exists that is actually distinct or stripped of its connection to the whole. It’s all just this... the supreme Brahma, untouched by desire or anger. And you only reach That through Knowledge.
There is never anything like an "I." There simply isn't. There’s nothing else out there—no indestructible fragments, no "higher than the highest" concepts to cling to. It is all just this—the untouched, supreme Brahma. And honestly? You only reach that through Knowledge.
There is no such thing as an external world, nor is there an internal one—no chains, no boundaries, and certainly no shapes. It’s all just this—the absolute, untouched, supreme Brahma. And honestly? You only reach That through Knowledge.
There is no such thing as non-existence—there’s no "giving things up," no void, and certainly no such thing as a word having the wrong meaning. It’s all just... this. Everything is, quite literally, the untouched, supreme Brahma. And you don't stumble into that through some sort of empty negation; you reach it through Knowledge.
There’s no quality here—none. No subtle subtext, no indirect hints, no sense of security regarding the modalities of the mind... honestly, there isn't even a shred of depth. There are no boundaries, no pervasive essence, and absolutely zero transcendent results to speak of. It’s just empty.
There is no guru, there is no student—honestly, there isn’t even anything fixed at all. There’s nothing inherently good or bad, no variety of shapes, no distinct forms... it doesn't even go as far as liberation or bondage. It just... isn't.
The word "I" doesn't actually mean anything—not really. And that word "it"? It’s gone too. There are no senses left, no objects to grasp at, no doubt to wrestle with, and certainly nothing trivial cluttering up the space. There isn't even a sense of security to lean on, nor any tasks or actions left that feel like they *must* be completed. Everything just... isn't.
There is simply no such thing as a "nature" of peace—no duality, no highs, no lows. There aren't even characteristics to cling to. You won't find a part of it that is defined by sadness, nor a part that is defined by joy, or even that restless, wavering indecision we all struggle with. It just isn't there.
There is no body, there is no phallus, no cause or lack thereof—no sorrow, no finality, no "I," no mystery, and certainly no supreme state.
There is no karma—neither the kind that sticks to your soul nor the kind tied to ancient scripture. There is no truth, no "you," and no "me." Ignorance doesn't exist, and neither does empirical knowledge. There are no fools, and there isn't even anyone left who claims to know anything at all.
There is no hell, no heaven, no liberation, no holiness—not even desire or any kind of teaching left to grasp. There isn't even you or me anymore. There’s no philosophy, and there isn't even God.
There isn't even a hint of good or bad—nothing. There’s no death, there’s no life... honestly, there isn't even any satisfaction to be found. You won't find anything to actually enjoy in it all. There is no single, undivided essence, and there certainly isn't any duality left to cling to.
There are no chains—no concept of a manifested world, no ruler presiding over the waking state, no such thing as "equality," and certainly no misunderstanding of what we count as the fourth.
There is simply nothing that qualifies as "everything"—no impurities, no cravings, no laws, no worship, no manifest world, no pluralism, and certainly no discourse from others.
There is simply nothing—no satsang, no absence of satsang, no Brahma, no one left to even ask the questions—there is no quest, no speaker, no ritual cleansing, and certainly no holy waters. It’s all just... gone.
There is no virtue, there is no sin, and there isn't even any kind of activity that could possibly serve as a cause for error—nothing at all. I mean it. Nothing stemming from our internal nature, nothing from the External world, not even anything originating from the Divine nature. It’s all just... empty.
There is simply no birth or death here—none at all. There aren’t even states of being like waking, sleeping, or deep sleep. It isn't about some physical earth or some mystical afterlife, either. You won't find any victories or defeats in this reality... none whatsoever.
There is no weakness—none at all. There’s no fear, no desperate craving, and certainly no rushing toward death. Nothing is unthinkable. There isn't such a thing as a "sinful" person, nor can there be any "wrong" interpretation of the Vedas or religious wisdom. It just doesn't work that way.
There is no Sattvic state, there is no Rajasic state, there is no Tamasic state—there simply aren't any such qualities to be found. There is no Shiva, there is no Vedanta, and there is certainly no point in studying them or wasting your breath thinking about them.
There is no slavery, there is no liberation—none of that business. There aren’t even any clever little aphorisms about the identity between the individual self and the Supreme Self. There is no masculine form, no feminine form, no state of being that leans one way or the other... there isn't even such a thing as a permanent state.
There is no praise—no criticism either, really. No eulogies, no hymns, no worldly nonsense, and certainly no religious fluff. There are no sacred texts to cling to, no commandments to follow... none of it matters.
There is no drinking—none of that business—no fasting either. None of it. There’s no luck to be found, no merrymaking entertainers, no stances taken, nor any deliberate absence of them. No family lineages, no names, no rigid forms... none of it exists.
There is absolutely nothing truly excellent here, nor is there anything inherently corrupt—no blessings to cling to, no curses to fear. There’s no such thing as purity, and certainly no point in trying to scrub away impurity. There is no individual soul to manage, no mind to control... none of it exists.
Look, let’s get one thing straight—there is no such thing as "invoking peace." It’s a nonsense concept. There is no peace to call upon, there is no such thing as mind control, and there is certainly no such thing as "taming the senses." People love to talk about those things like they're goals you can reach through some sort of spiritual checklist, but it's all fluff. There is no "play," no specific states of being to achieve, no modifications to the self, and absolutely no "defects" to fix. It just isn't how it works.
There isn’t really anything left—nothing at all from where I stand. There’s nothing of what we call Maya, no lingering consequences of that illusion, and not even the slightest trace of dharma remains. No adherence to dharma, no holding onto it... just nothing.
There is no youth, no childhood, no senility—no death, no nothing like that. There aren’t even relatives, strangers, friends, or brothers. None of it exists.
There is no "everything," there is no "nothing"—there isn’t even Brahma, Vishnu, or Shiva. There are no guardians watching over the eight directions, nor is there some cosmic observer sitting there experiencing the waking state or the dream state. It just isn't there.
There is no cosmic observer lurking within the depths of deep sleep—no "fourth state" watching from the shadows, no high priest or warrior caste, no scholar sitting there waiting to be enlightened. It’s all just the supreme Brahman. Pure nectar of Knowledge, completely untouched by suffering.
There is absolutely nothing like that—nothing like someone reappearing or someone else following behind them. There aren't any events destined to loop back around, there is no such thing as a timestamp, no "I" to anchor the experience, and certainly no cause behind the conversation itself. It’s all just... empty.
There is absolutely nothing above this—no "inner abilities" like intellect, ego, or even thought itself. There isn’t some grand narrative about Consciousness to cling to, nor is there any duality left to suggest that I am Brahman, or even that I am simply Consciousness. It just ends there.
There is no sheath for food—not the physical body, anyway—nor is there any covering for Prana or Uma. There’s no layer of intellectual knowledge acting as a buffer, and certainly no shroud of bliss to hide behind.
There is simply nothing that qualifies as "knowledge" by its very nature—nothing to be perceived, nothing to be learned... which, if you think about it, means everything we call "learning" is just a massive misunderstanding of how things actually work. There’s nobody here to feel anxious about it, no one to worry over anyone else, and certainly no illusions left to cling to. Even that whole concept of the "triad of knowledge"—it’s gone. It doesn't exist.
There is no observer, there is no act of observation, there are no objects being observed, and—to be perfectly honest—there aren't even any results manifesting. It’s all just the ultimate Brahma—that pure nectar of Knowledge, completely untethered from any kind of suffering.
There is no such thing as an internal world of capabilities—there is no mind, no "misunderstanding" of reality, no realm of thought, and certainly no manifested world of intellect. It’s all just noise.
There is no such thing as a world of separate beings—no "jiva" exists out there. There aren't even any memories that are inherently repulsive or flawed, nor is there this whole concept of a world built on distinguishing one thing from another based on its traits. Even those memories we think of as being rooted in ignorance? They don't actually exist. It’s all just an illusion of separation.
There is simply no such thing as a Vedantic world—no remembering of the Shastras or the Agamas—and certainly no world that could ever prove anything exists in isolation. There is no division, no "this" versus "that." It’s all just one seamless, undivided reality.
There isn’t even a realization regarding differences—or the lack thereof. There is no conceptualizing of defects, nor the absence of them. You don't have a world defined by peace or one devoid of it... there's no swearing by specific qualities or their absence. It just isn't there.
There is no male, there is no female—there isn’t even such a thing as "neutral." There is nothing stationary, nothing in motion, no sorrow and no joy... ever.
There is simply nothing that possesses an inherent quality of virtue or vice—it’s all just... there. There’s no objective certainty when it comes to what counts as mature or immature, nor is there any such thing as an action possessing a dual nature. Even those modalities we attribute to the witness? They don't exist. It's all a construct.
There isn't any sense of duality left—no lingering concept of two natures, none of that "joy" people talk about regarding a single, undivided essence... there’s nothing. Not even the lingering idea that I am some physical body, nor any sudden, sweeping revelations that I am Brahma. It's just... gone.
There is no such thing as an undivided security modality—none of that stuff exists. There isn't some massive, singular essence just sitting there waiting to be found, nor is there any actual "arrival" where a specific modality suddenly manifests. And don't even get me started on the idea of all modalities being wiped out at once. It’s just not how it works.
There isn’t some grand interrogation of every single modality—there’s no liberation from them all, no ultimate peak where every modality is finally annihilated, and certainly no void where they all just vanish into nothingness.
There’s absolutely nothing left of those thousand different modalities—they just get wiped out moment by moment. There isn't some grand witness standing over all those shifting states, and there certainly isn't any proof that an individual is actually Brahma.
46. There is no universe, no mind, no finality, no action—ever. No criticism, no praise, no breaking free from chains... nothing.
47. There is no label for a virtuous person, no tag for someone with "good qualities," no sign of being lost in meditation, and certainly no tallying up sins.
48. There isn't even a thought about Brahma or the Self. No hint of the Almighty’s presence, nothing desirable to chase, nothing to exclude, nothing "best" or "supreme"—and honestly, the very term 'the Almighty' loses all its meaning.
49. Anyone lacking the Knowledge of the Self is truly a massive sinner. In fact, anyone devoid of this Knowledge is profoundly unwell.
50. I am Brahma. There is zero doubt about it. By my very nature, I am an undivided essence. I have the absolute certainty of direct experience: Brahma is everything.
51. Such a person is liberated right now. I don't have the slightest doubt. They are currently becoming the embodiment of the highest Knowledge. They are, quite literally, the sage of this world. They are Parameshwara.
52. All of this is, truly, the supreme Brahma—a nectar of knowledge that fills the mind. Whoever hears this explanation is, in truth, Brahma.
53. Neither the state of oneness nor the state of many, neither the atom nor the infinite, neither cause nor effect, neither the universe nor dominion over it—it is eternally without taste, scent, or form, neither bound nor free. Let us become that brilliant Light, untouched by birth, aging, or sickness, forever dwelling in the joy of ultimate bliss—that blessed Sadashiva.
Anant's translation
But there is the flip side:
NOTHING EXISTS
Back when he was just a young student of Zen, Ramana traveled
from one teacher to another.
He even stopped by to see Dokuon in Falcon.
Wanting to show off what he had achieved, he said:
“The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings—in the end, they simply aren't there.
The true nature of all phenomena is emptiness.
There is no perception, no delusion, no wisdom, no mediocrity. There is no giving, and nothing to be received.”
Dokuon, who was calmly smoking, didn't say a word.
Then, suddenly, Ramana was struck by Dokuon's wooden staff.
This really set the young man off.
He jumped to his feet and dropped into a fighting stance.
“If nothing exists,” Dokuon asked, “then where did this anger come from?”
Is that from Solomon? 😁
16 So I said to myself, "Look, I've acquired more wisdom than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. My soul has gathered immense wisdom and knowledge." 17 I studied wisdom carefully, as well as folly and madness, but I realized it was all just empty chatter.
18 Much wisdom—much misery;
the more knowledge you have, the more it hurts.
Brian Young76 said:I probably expressed myself poorly there.
It isn't the idea that I won't or don't want to wake up until everyone else does; rather, it's the thought that suffering on a cosmic level won't cease until the cosmic Mind awakens. If we are all one, then that seems like the only logical conclusion to me.
Of course, personal (though, of course, illusionary!) awakening is a massive deal and the greatest good you can do for the world (which is really doing it for yourself!), but if you have truly awakened, it means you've realized that we are all one. So, how could you possibly NOT want to awaken the rest of yourself???
I also wrote incorrectly regarding it being impossible to experience Love within oneself, my apologies. A Course in Miracles says that it is possible, though it takes much longer. Right at the beginning, it mentions that performing miracles (which are expressions of Love) can shorten that timeframe.
You haven't answered my question about how one actually practices Advaita, and I would really love to read your thoughts on that. 🙂
What kind of exercises are involved? Roughly what does the practice look like and how is it done? As I mentioned in my introduction, I've been playing music for 40 years, so the importance of consistent practice for making progress in anything (including the spiritual path) is practically hardwired into my subconscious. I am genuinely curious about how one practices Advaita in a practical sense. 🙂
And how important is a teacher? I think hiddenpuma75 mentioned somewhere that he has a teacher (if I remember correctly, his teacher is 78 years old). I don't have a teacher (at least not a living human being; A Course in Miracles says the true teacher is the Holy Spirit...), and I've spent a lot of time wondering whether I should be out looking for someone... for now, I still don't have an answer to that question.
Brian Young76 said:You guys have completely cluttered up this thread, and honestly, I’m about ready to report this whole mess to the moderator! 😬
All jokes aside, I really want to express my gratitude for all these reflections; honestly, that is exactly why I decided to start this thread in the first place. 🙂
Just a few thoughts from my side of things:
As I’ve mentioned before, I have been playing music for about forty years now. I spent those first ten years immersed in classical music, though I've spent the last thirty focused on jazz. My home collection is actually quite massive—I think I have nearly 1,000 CDs stashed away at this point. Most of them were purchased legally because I feel a genuine sense of respect for the artists, you know? Honestly, where have you been, hiddenpuma75, old friend? 😬 It feels like such a waste of money at this point, honestly. I don't even know who I would sell my collection to anymore; if I did find a buyer, I'd probably only get pennies on the dollar, and even that seems like a long shot. It’s almost funny when you think about it—you can just hop onto Deezer for seven bucks a month and access a library that's easily a hundred times larger than my entire physical stash. And to top it all off, Spotify finally launched here in the States last week, so it's officially available!
After reflecting on everything we've discussed, I’ve come to this conclusion: most of the modern approach to finding your path in jazz is essentially useless. You don't find your voice by mindlessly cycling through thousands of CDs or digital tracks. I suppose the real legends—those old masters who possessed that unmistakable, spine-tingling spark—didn't work that way at all. They found their essence by truly, deeply listening to just a handful of seminal records, extracting every ounce of wisdom they could from them. It wasn't about volume; it was about depth. And honestly, if you aren't playing live, you're missing the entire foundation of the craft.
To reiterate my point, I truly believe that a genuine master of jazz is someone who manages to strike that rare, delicate balance between flawless technical execution and profound emotional depth—someone who has ultimately discovered their own unique path. It’s as if, after they play just a small Pair of notes, you instantly recognize them; they possess that unmistakable, signature style that makes their identity immediately apparent to anyone listening.
So, I suppose I’m still quite a novice when it comes to the formal side of the spiritual path, but I’ve started to realize that maybe you don't necessarily need to be on some official, structured journey to acquire life's most profound wisdom. It feels like those deeper truths can find you even if you haven't strictly followed a specific curriculum or joined a formal school of thought. 🙂
When it comes to STEM and science in general... I think I actually fell in love with it back in elementary school. Mathematics has always been my absolute favorite subject, right from the very beginning. There’s just something so refreshing about it—you don't have to deal with those vague grades for "artistic impression" or any of those silly, subjective assessments that seem to pop up everywhere else. It’s much more straightforward; you either calculated the answer correctly, or you didn't, and that's really that. I guess you could say I’ve never truly walked away from science, because I don't believe there is anything inherently wrong or flawed about it. In fact, I try to keep up with it as much as I possibly can, making sure I stay current with the latest breakthroughs and discoveries in physics—the fundamental sciences, really.
But... oh, absolutely! Science is still nowhere near being able to provide meaningful answers to those fundamental life questions that truly haunt us. I’ve mentioned this before, I suppose, but if we look at physics as our foundational science, it only holds partial knowledge regarding about 5% of the matter and energy that actually constitutes our universe. As for the remaining 95%, we practically have zero understanding. Even the most brilliant physicists on the planet are essentially flying blind when it comes to defining dark energy, which, according to their own calculations, accounts for roughly 68% of everything in existence. They know incredibly little about dark matter, too; they mostly just manage to identify what it definitely *isn't*—which, of course, isn't the same 5% of ordinary matter we actually have some partial data on.
When you really step back and look at the context of things, it’s a bit staggering to realize that our fundamental scientific framework openly admits it hasn't even a clue about 95% of the matter and energy that actually constitutes the universe. I mean, if we consider that, relying solely on science to provide definitive answers to life's most profound and essential questions feels... well, I suppose I'll just let you all draw your own conclusions from that. 😉
I suppose I officially embarked on my spiritual Quest around the age of forty, though I approached it with a very specific mindset. At the time, I decided to take a strictly analytical, almost engineering-based approach to the whole thing—very much rooted in a scientific curiosity, if you will. My first step was simply to pick up a comprehensive overview of the world's major religions by Houston Smith, just so I could get a clear, bird's-eye view of what the most prominent belief systems actually have to say. I figured that if I could study them all systematically, I might eventually be able to discern which path resonated with me most deeply. It felt like a logical way to start, treating the search for meaning like any other complex problem that needs solving. 😁
Up until my 40th birthday, I’d always viewed my life as being perfectly, almost flawlessly, aligned. Everything just seemed to click into place: I have a wonderful marriage, three beautiful children, and a career that is—honestly—quite remarkable. My work is essentially centered around helping others, which is incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with an excellent salary funded entirely by federal grants, providing me with enough flexibility to truly show up for my family and keep playing music. Plus, everyone close to me is healthy... I suppose you could say I’ve had practically zero problems. And yet, lately, I’ve been gripped by this intense, nagging realization that none of this is permanent. I’ve started thinking seriously about how all of this will eventually fade away—that illness, misfortune, or death will inevitably arrive one day. It led me to the conclusion that I really need to grasp certain truths before that happens, because if I don't, I fear I won't be ready. It feels somewhat similar to why Siddhartha—or whatever his name was—decided to leave his wife and child behind to embark on his Quest. Of course, it's not quite like that for me. I’ve never felt any genuine urge to abandon my loved ones. Even when the thought did cross my mind—like that time I seriously considered moving to New York City to pursue jazz professionally—it was always this strange combination of a deep sense of duty, a bit of common sense, and perhaps a lingering fear of the unknown that kept me right where I belong.
Well, I suppose that’s all I have to share for the moment; if you all feel like flooding my thread with your own thoughts, then I guess I might as well join in too 😬
Brian Young76 said:I probably expressed myself poorly there.
It isn't the idea that I won't or don't want to wake up until everyone else does; rather, it's the thought that suffering on a cosmic level won't cease until the cosmic Mind awakens. If we are all one, then that seems like the only logical conclusion to me.
Of course, personal (though, of course, illusionary!) awakening is a massive deal and the greatest good you can do for the world (which is really doing it for yourself!), but if you have truly awakened, it means you've realized that we are all one. So, how could you possibly NOT want to awaken the rest of yourself???
I also wrote incorrectly regarding it being impossible to experience Love within oneself, my apologies. A Course in Miracles says that it is possible, though it takes much longer. Right at the beginning, it mentions that performing miracles (which are expressions of Love) can shorten that timeframe.
You haven't answered my question about how one actually practices Advaita, and I would really love to read your thoughts on that. 🙂
What kind of exercises are involved? Roughly what does the practice look like and how is it done? As I mentioned in my introduction, I've been playing music for 40 years, so the importance of consistent practice for making progress in anything (including the spiritual path) is practically hardwired into my subconscious. I am genuinely curious about how one practices Advaita in a practical sense. 🙂
And how important is a teacher? I think hiddenpuma75 mentioned somewhere that he has a teacher (if I remember correctly, his teacher is 78 years old). I don't have a teacher (at least not a living human being; A Course in Miracles says the true teacher is the Holy Spirit...), and I've spent a lot of time wondering whether I should be out looking for someone... for now, I still don't have an answer to that question.
Brian Young76 said:Thanks 😉
On my first pass through this, it all seems remarkably similar to me.
But... I can't help but feel there's a fundamental distinction here, specifically regarding how ACIM places such heavy emphasis on the idea that experiencing Love in isolation isn't really possible; rather, it has to be realized through our connection with others—that whole concept of us all being the Son of God. There’s also this profound insistence that suffering won't truly dissipate until everyone, and I mean absolutely everyone, reaches enlightenment. It’s not enough to just wake up for yourself, I suppose.
I wonder, what would the perspective from Advaita be on a point like that?
Furthermore, I'm curious about how one actually goes about practicing Advaita. With ACIM, you're provided with these incredibly specific exercises and very detailed instructions, which makes it feel like you don't necessarily need a teacher or a guru to guide you. In the context of Advaita, how much weight does the presence of a guru actually carry?
Brian Young76 said:Thanks 😉
On my first pass through this, it all seems remarkably similar to me.
But... I can't help but feel there's a fundamental distinction here, specifically regarding how ACIM places such heavy emphasis on the idea that experiencing Love in isolation isn't really possible; rather, it has to be realized through our connection with others—that whole concept of us all being the Son of God. There’s also this profound insistence that suffering won't truly dissipate until everyone, and I mean absolutely everyone, reaches enlightenment. It’s not enough to just wake up for yourself, I suppose.
I wonder, what would the perspective from Advaita be on a point like that?
Furthermore, I'm curious about how one actually goes about practicing Advaita. With ACIM, you're provided with these incredibly specific exercises and very detailed instructions, which makes it feel like you don't necessarily need a teacher or a guru to guide you. In the context of Advaita, how much weight does the presence of a guru actually carry?
frozenstag9 said:Over in New Zealand, there’s this one family that’s been passing down the tradition of teaching people about Kundalini through the generations.
People travel from all over the globe just to seek them out—honestly, my own wife actually gave me some free instructions for a few days once, but I didn't really have the heart to pursue it further back then; I was still carrying a bit of that old-school Catholic skepticism, you know?
The practice supposedly kicks off with this first step involving contracting the muscles between the perineum and the anus—you apparently have to strengthen that area quite a bit if you ever want to master the "serpent" in that region.
Personally, I managed to pull it off without any actual exercises—I just mentally relax those muscles and the serpent slides right up, which completely bypasses the orgasm. I could probably spend hours theorizing about how that works!
At least, that’s what they say is the prerequisite for gaining control over the Kundalini serpent.
As for what happens next, I haven't a clue—it probably involves guiding that energy all the way up to the head.
Joseph Bailey41 said:That was exactly what I was thinking when I originally posted my question to the thread starter. 😁
Tolerance really comes from that emotional-intellectual sphere: we tolerate those we disagree with (intellectually) and those who get under our skin (emotionally). True compassion, or actually accepting someone who is vastly different from us, has to come from a different "center" altogether. Until we become aware of that and manage to make that internal shift, we just rely on tolerance as a social convention—basically, just being decent human beings.
For instance, those egoists who constantly insist they are right (they just *have* to be) are incredibly exhausting to me. Every minute spent with them, every sentence exchanged, drains me on every possible level. And yet, sometimes you just have to communicate or socialize, because humans aren't built to survive in total isolation, and it isn't always possible to be surrounded only by people who perfectly align with us. So, we practice tolerance. Or rather, I recognize that someone is an egocentrist, knowing they won't suddenly transform overnight... but I also acknowledge they have a right to their vision of the world (even if it's pretty warped), so I accept that fact and tolerate their presence. I don't attack them, I don't try to nail them down like a stake in the ground, and I don't even bother trying to "crush them with arguments." I simply tolerate them. But I don't view my tolerance as some grand spiritual virtue, because it isn't. It’s just a practical necessity to keep us from fighting each other and to stop wasting time on people we consider fools.
What truly connects to spirituality is compassion. That means understanding why someone behaves the way they do (there are many reasons for bad behavior, but they usually boil down to one thing—that person is suffering in some way) and striving to alleviate that suffering. Of course, not at our own expense, because then we haven't actually achieved anything. There are situations where you can help someone reach awareness, and there are others where the healthiest thing is to step away and offer compassion from a distance. And yes, there are times when you just need to block someone on social media. 🥱