Holy Spirit and Kundalini: Are they the same thing?

I will simply address the question posed in the title—they are absolutely not the same thing.

rowdyeagle3 said:I will simply address the question posed in the title—they are absolutely not the same thing.

That isn't an answer; it's a manifesto. Try explaining yourself a bit—what exactly is Kundalini, what is the Holy Spirit, and where is your evidence that they aren't identical? Catholics can be so incredibly arrogant... they just declare things "good" or "bad," "this" or "that," depending entirely on whatever serves their current agenda. They'll call something virtuous one minute and then denounce it as evil the next if it suits them. In their minds, God is always on their side, so everything they decree is treated as if Jesus Christ Himself personally handed down the command.
You're clearly just some die-hard follower of those old-school fundamentalists...

Paul Rogers94 said:That isn't an answer; it's a manifesto. Try explaining yourself a bit—what exactly is Kundalini, what is the Holy Spirit, and where is your evidence that they aren't identical? Catholics can be so incredibly arrogant... they just declare things "good" or "bad," "this" or "that," depending entirely on whatever serves their current agenda. They'll call something virtuous one minute and then denounce it as evil the next if it suits them. In their minds, God is always on their side, so everything they decree is treated as if Jesus Christ Himself personally handed down the command.
You're clearly just some die-hard follower of those old-school fundamentalists...

It's pretty straightforward, really. Kundalini rises up, while the Holy Spirit descends.

(Source: Structuralism for Dummies.)

Joseph Bailey41 said:It's pretty straightforward, really. Kundalini rises up, while the Holy Spirit descends.

(Source: Structuralism for Dummies.)

Short and sweet, really. 👍

Paul Rogers94 said:WE ARE NOT ALL ONE (because there is no "you" and there are no "others")
EVERYTHING IS ONE
There is no PERSON who supposedly awakens. Nor is there anyone to know that everything is ONE.
Because if everything is ONE, then there is no OTHER to know it—otherwise, it wouldn't be ONE.
A person cannot be awakened.
AWAKENING is nothing other than knowing that you ARE NOT a person.
An "awakened person" is an oxymoron—YOU (the person) cannot wake up; only when you transcend the idea of being a person are you awake. And if you have truly awakened, you realize there is no YOU, nor any "rest of you" (the others).
AWAKENING is awakening FROM the person.
That's why Advaita isn't for everyone.

The best practice for beginners is Mooji's guided silent sitting meditations.

COMPLETE ADVAITA PRACTICE FOR NOVICES IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS

1

For me, the beginning of any practice is calling upon and paying respect to everyone who has had a serious impact on my spiritual journey, which looks something like this:

Om Namah Brahmajnananadd; Om Namah Narayananand; Om Namah Bhagawan Raman Maharshi; Om Namah Nisargadatta Maharaj; Om Namah Papaja

If they were able to assist in the awakening of others, why wouldn't they assist in mine? It's essentially like having a satsang (communion in pure consciousness) with the greatest saints, which makes your mind humble enough and open enough to receive the grace of realization (the realization that there is nothing to realize and no one to do the realizing)—I often let them meditate instead of me, which is the same as letting God meditate "as you."

Pay your respects to those who have significantly influenced your spiritual development; this could include Christ, Buddha, Ahura Mazda, Zoroaster...

2
Next, and not less important, is to wish peace and happiness upon all beings in the universe—very simply and from the heart, something like this:

May all beings in the universe be forever peaceful and happy
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

3
then you simply 'stay away from thoughts' and dwell in 'contentless presence'—or more accurately, exist 'as presence,' as Bhagawan Raman Maharshi puts it be as you are, which is just the "I AM" presence—call it consciousness, the present moment, holy silence, or whatever you like; it doesn't matter. You don't interfere, you don't wait for something to happen, you don't judge... because this isn't an achievement. It already *is*... there's really no need for any other practice, nor are there any other practices to be had

as Om Namah Nisargadatta Maharaj says: Consciousness (the witness, the I AM) is the final remnant of illusion and the first touch of reality

The witness is both unreal and real. The last remnant of the illusion, the first touch of the real. To say: I am only the witness is both false and true, false because of the ‘I am’, true because of the witness. It is better to say: ‘there is witnessing’. The moment you say ‘I am’, the entire universe comes into being along with its creator.

this kind of practice, at any given moment or stage, can result in direct insight, regardless of whether you're ready or not, whether you deserve it or not, whether you're experienced or a novice, or even if you're a fool or a genius

it’s all the same

Paul Rogers94 said:WE ARE NOT ALL ONE (because there is no "you" and there are no "others")
EVERYTHING IS ONE
There is no PERSON who supposedly awakens. Nor is there anyone to know that everything is ONE.
Because if everything is ONE, then there is no OTHER to know it—otherwise, it wouldn't be ONE.
A person cannot be awakened.
AWAKENING is nothing other than knowing that you ARE NOT a person.
An "awakened person" is an oxymoron—YOU (the person) cannot wake up; only when you transcend the idea of being a person are you awake. And if you have truly awakened, you realize there is no YOU, nor any "rest of you" (the others).
AWAKENING is awakening FROM the person.
That's why Advaita isn't for everyone.

The best practice for beginners is Mooji's guided silent sitting meditations.

COMPLETE ADVAITA PRACTICE FOR NOVICES IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS

1

For me, the beginning of any practice is calling upon and paying respect to everyone who has had a serious impact on my spiritual journey, which looks something like this:

Om Namah Brahmajnananadd; Om Namah Narayananand; Om Namah Bhagawan Raman Maharshi; Om Namah Nisargadatta Maharaj; Om Namah Papaja

If they were able to assist in the awakening of others, why wouldn't they assist in mine? It's essentially like having a satsang (communion in pure consciousness) with the greatest saints, which makes your mind humble enough and open enough to receive the grace of realization (the realization that there is nothing to realize and no one to do the realizing)—I often let them meditate instead of me, which is the same as letting God meditate "as you."

Pay your respects to those who have significantly influenced your spiritual development; this could include Christ, Buddha, Ahura Mazda, Zoroaster...

2
Next, and not less important, is to wish peace and happiness upon all beings in the universe—very simply and from the heart, something like this:

May all beings in the universe be forever peaceful and happy
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

3
then you simply 'stay away from thoughts' and dwell in 'contentless presence'—or more accurately, exist 'as presence,' as Bhagawan Raman Maharshi puts it be as you are, which is just the "I AM" presence—call it consciousness, the present moment, holy silence, or whatever you like; it doesn't matter. You don't interfere, you don't wait for something to happen, you don't judge... because this isn't an achievement. It already *is*... there's really no need for any other practice, nor are there any other practices to be had

as Om Namah Nisargadatta Maharaj says: Consciousness (the witness, the I AM) is the final remnant of illusion and the first touch of reality

The witness is both unreal and real. The last remnant of the illusion, the first touch of the real. To say: I am only the witness is both false and true, false because of the ‘I am’, true because of the witness. It is better to say: ‘there is witnessing’. The moment you say ‘I am’, the entire universe comes into being along with its creator.

this kind of practice, at any given moment or stage, can result in direct insight, regardless of whether you're ready or not, whether you deserve it or not, whether you're experienced or a novice, or even if you're a fool or a genius

So, if there's no person to wake up, who exactly is doing the waking?
Consciousness doesn't have anything to wake up; it just is awake.
The One doesn't have anything to wake up; it just is.
You say the person doesn't even exist, so they can't wake up.
Which means, according to you, awakening doesn't even exist. Whatever is awake, is awake. Whatever isn't... well, it doesn't exist anyway.

By that logic, I guess all spirituality is just useless and fake.

Brian Young76 said:So, I suppose I should probably share my reflections following this morning's practice session.

Exercise No. 46: 'God is the Love in which I forgive.' (Just a quick side note for Baphomet—I went back and re-read your response, and I think there was a bit of a misunderstanding. You seemed to take my previous message as a personal description of my own experience, but that wasn't quite what I intended. What I wrote was actually just a direct copy-paste from the text of the exercise in A Course in Miracles, which happens to be the very thing that led me toward part of that experience. But then again, you certainly don't have to take anything I say as gospel truth.) 😉 ).

In the introduction to the exercise, it suggests that God never actually needs to forgive us, simply because God has never once passed judgment on us in the first place; the whole concept of needing forgiveness only really enters the picture once judgment has already taken hold. It also mentions that the only true way to find forgiveness for ourselves is by extending that same grace to others. This all resonated with me quite deeply right from the start, especially following that intense, lightning-strike experience I mentioned earlier—that sudden moment of clarity I had after working through the "God is the Mind with which I think" practice. If we are all essentially part of one single Mind, then it seems almost inevitable, or at least the only logical conclusion, that the only way I can truly forgive myself is by forgiving someone else.

Well, I suppose that experience has really sent me spiraling back into those deep, existential questions about who I actually am... it’s one of those things where everything just suddenly clicks, you know? It hit me like a bolt of lightning: we are all just physical manifestations of the One, and if that’s true, then I am essentially you. In a very real sense, I am my wife and my children, I am my colleagues at the office, and I am my neighbors... but it goes so much deeper than that, I think. I felt like I was also that bird I was watching while I went through my practice, and the trees standing in the distance, even the metal railing on my patio, and the clouds drifting lazily across the sky above that bird... I felt like I was the entire universe itself! Oh man, it truly just settled into my soul. 🙂

There is just one more thing that has been weighing on my mind lately. I’ve been reflecting on all those spiritual sages and great teachers I’ve spent so much time reading about—figures like Buddha, Jesus, the Prophet Muhammad, and even Bernadette Roberts, whom Brian Young76 mentioned earlier. I actually found myself spending the last twenty minutes or so doing a quick Google search to really wrap my head around her work. It seems to me that every single one of them, without exception, felt this profound necessity to cultivate their spirituality in a way that eventually required them to withdraw from society for extended periods. Whether they called it meditation, deep contemplation, or some other term, they all seemed to seek out that solitude to reach a state of enlightenment.

A Course in Miracles suggests something quite different from the usual narrative. It argues that the true way to achieve real vision is to remain right here among people—to look at everyone else and see them as an extension of yourself. By practicing forgiveness and viewing others as brothers, you eventually begin to perceive them as physical manifestations of the same universal Mind. The text also mentions that the path of withdrawal and isolation (we might take Buddha as an example here) is technically valid and leads to the same destination, though I suppose such a route takes a significantly longer time to navigate. This realization has finally cleared up any lingering doubts I had about whether I needed to retreat somewhere for an extended period just to "reach enlightenment" before returning to my life. Honestly, that seems like a much more arduous and unnecessary detour, at least for me. Staying engaged with society, staying right where I am... well, it’s certainly more complicated. It feels a bit like trying to juggle ten balls at once instead of just one. But then again, looking at the Buddhist traditions I've spent time studying—and I have always felt a deep personal affinity for the Dalai Lama—they suggest that if you're starting out at the beginning of the path, it might take at least a dozen reincarnations to reach enlightenment. I don't think I quite have that kind of time to spare, so I think I'll just stick to the faster route and see where it leads! 😁

And one more thing—though I have to say, this entire exercise we’ve been doing since this morning has actually turned out to be quite productive, I guess. 🙂 As I mentioned back in my opening post, I’ve always felt that diving deep into physics and mathematics is, in its own way, a profound spiritual experience. It’s almost like a ritual, isn't it? You spend hours—maybe even days—wrestling with these incredibly dense, complex equations that just refuse to make sense at first glance. You stare at them, try one approach, fail, try another, and still feel completely lost. But then, after all that mental struggle, there comes this sudden, overwhelming moment where everything finally clicks into place. It’s that pure "AHA!" or "Eureka!" sensation. To me, that flash of clarity feels less like mere logic and more like a genuine spiritual breakthrough.

In the realm of physics, I’ve always felt that the only true yardstick for reality is experimentation. You could potentially construct the most incredibly intricate theory imaginable—something that looks absolutely flawless on paper, brimming with complex equations and all sorts of sophisticated mathematical wizardry—but if the experimental data doesn't align with what you've proposed, then I guess the whole thing is essentially worthless. 😁

Something really struck me after my meditation session this morning, and I can't quite shake the feeling that the same fundamental rules apply to spirituality as they do to everything else. It seems to me that experience is truly the only valid yardstick for truth. I was thinking about how *A Course in Miracles* suggests that while a universal theology doesn't really exist, a universal experience isn't just possible—it’s actually necessary. I guess that realization just finally clicked for me today, and it feels quite profound. 🙂

No, Kundalini is the primary, centrifugal, spiral force that every beginner and spiritual student starts with. The Holy Spirit is a particle of innocence. It gets released during that soft medium phase of spiritual progress.

Joseph Bailey41 said:It's pretty straightforward, really. Kundalini rises up, while the Holy Spirit descends.

(Source: Structuralism for Dummies.)

And honestly, it's the individual who ultimately determines the pace of that rise and fall.

The Holy Spirit is pure energy, while Kundalini is raw power

When it comes to spiritual matters, everything depends on where you stand. In your case, you're dealing with milder spiritual entities assigned to you by higher authorities at a spiritual level. Given your family and kids, you're nowhere near experiencing Kundalini, let alone the Bull, the Lion, or even the Phoenix...

Kevin Ruiz36 said:When it comes to spiritual matters, everything depends on where you stand. In your case, you're dealing with milder spiritual entities assigned to you by higher authorities at a spiritual level. Given your family and kids, you're nowhere near experiencing Kundalini, let alone the Bull, the Lion, or even the Phoenix...

To be honest, I haven't the slightest clue what a Bull, a Lion, or a Phoenix is supposed to represent... and if I'm being completely candid, I don't even really understand what Kundalini is myself.

All I know for certain is that whatever this experience is, it feels like it's accelerating quite rapidly, though I have absolutely no idea where it's all heading or when it might level off. For the time being, I don't think I'm quite ready to share my full experiences here, mostly because there's still so much that feels unclear to me.

Brian Young76 said:To be honest, I haven't the slightest clue what a Bull, a Lion, or a Phoenix is supposed to represent... and if I'm being completely candid, I don't even really understand what Kundalini is myself.

All I know for certain is that whatever this experience is, it feels like it's accelerating quite rapidly, though I have absolutely no idea where it's all heading or when it might level off. For the time being, I don't think I'm quite ready to share my full experiences here, mostly because there's still so much that feels unclear to me.

Think of it as three fixed Zodiac symbols... the Phoenix (or maybe an eagle) represents a higher expression of Scorpio (whereas the snake is the lower one). The fourth would be an angel—representing Aquarius—or if we want to get really deep with it, the Holy Spirit.

Joseph Bailey41 said:Think of it as three fixed Zodiac symbols... the Phoenix (or maybe an eagle) represents a higher expression of Scorpio (whereas the snake is the lower one). The fourth would be an angel—representing Aquarius—or if we want to get really deep with it, the Holy Spirit.

Does anyone else see the pattern here? The Phoenix is actually the highest stage of evolution for a Scorpio. There are seven stages in total, though it is entirely possible for some individuals to skip certain steps during their lifetime. The progression follows a specific order: spider, scorpion, lizard, serpent, wolf, eagle, and finally, the Phoenix.

Keith Lopez6 said:Does anyone else see the pattern here? The Phoenix is actually the highest stage of evolution for a Scorpio. There are seven stages in total, though it is entirely possible for some individuals to skip certain steps during their lifetime. The progression follows a specific order: spider, scorpion, lizard, serpent, wolf, eagle, and finally, the Phoenix.

Where did you find this system? Do you have a link for it?

Joseph Bailey41 said:Where did you find this system? Do you have a link for it?

Scorpio is easily one of the most complex signs in the zodiac. They possess this incredible capacity to sink to the absolute depths, yet they also have the strength to rise incredibly high—much like an eagle. Because of that inherent complexity, not all Scorpios are created equal; they've actually been categorized into several different symbols or developmental stages.

You might want to do a little digging online for "Seven symbols of Scorpio." Or, if you aren't in the mood to hunt for it yourself, I've provided a brief explanation here:

https://exemplore.com/astrology/The-...s-of-a-Scorpio

Interestingly enough, Scorpio is often referred to as the Alchemist.

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.🙂

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.🙂

Don't obsess over whether the bliss will vanish or try to cling to it. You didn't earn it, and you can't hold onto it—or let it go—any more than you can control anything else. Everything happens as grace. Whatever appears must eventually disappear. Clouds come and go, but the sun stays put. Ignore the bliss itself—you can't do anything about it anyway—and instead shift your attention to the subject of the bliss: that space of pure consciousness where the sensation arises. Hold onto that. The bliss itself is fine, but don't get involved with it; don't fight it, and don't force it. Ultimately, that bliss has no inherent meaning or significance—it's just a symptom.

Paul Rogers94 said:Don't obsess over whether the bliss will vanish or try to cling to it. You didn't earn it, and you can't hold onto it—or let it go—any more than you can control anything else. Everything happens as grace. Whatever appears must eventually disappear. Clouds come and go, but the sun stays put. Ignore the bliss itself—you can't do anything about it anyway—and instead shift your attention to the subject of the bliss: that space of pure consciousness where the sensation arises. Hold onto that. The bliss itself is fine, but don't get involved with it; don't fight it, and don't force it. Ultimately, that bliss has no inherent meaning or significance—it's just a symptom.

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: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.

🙂

Pleasure actually increases the less blindly you cling to your personality (that myth or story about yourself)—and even regarding the personality itself, once you start giving it special attention, the connection to the person strengthens, and consequently, the whole thing fades out. So, don't get too attached to the pleasure, no matter how striking or fascinating it might be. Again, the pleasure is fine—it's just a symptom of being detached from the story of the self (that limited sense of identity).

Paul Rogers94 said:Pleasure actually increases the less blindly you cling to your personality (that myth or story about yourself)—and even regarding the personality itself, once you start giving it special attention, the connection to the person strengthens, and consequently, the whole thing fades out. So, don't get too attached to the pleasure, no matter how striking or fascinating it might be. Again, the pleasure is fine—it's just a symptom of being detached from the story of the self (that limited sense of identity).

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! 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?

Focus instead on that expanse of pure consciousness where all this bliss originates—don't get hung up on the mental chatter. That space of pure awareness is one and the same with what people call cosmic consciousness or Christ consciousness... you have to recognize it through direct experience, not just by grasping at it intellectually. That’s what we mean by spiritual (impersonal) experience, or an awakening. This recognition happens spontaneously when you simply reside within that field of pure consciousness.