Edward Flores4 said:You can label it however you like, but when it comes down to actual "spiritual work," dealing with your own psyche is really the first—and honestly, the only—thing you can do to "develop" the spirit.
And sure, that path can absolutely lead to "liberation"... I’d go so far as to say there isn't really any other way around it. You see spiritualists constantly bashing the mind, often using their own lack of understanding as an excuse by claiming spirituality is somehow "beyond rationalization"... but unfortunately, that couldn't be further from the truth.
People tend to memorize metaphors and pieces of wisdom, yet they can't say anything meaningful about them other than repeating them verbatim while rambling about how the mind is simply incapable of grasping the spiritual. As long as that's the case, it's pretty obvious the person hasn't actually integrated those "sacred" insights into their perception—because once you truly grasp a concept, you can talk about it until you're blue in the face.
The only things that feel "incomprehensible" are the things we don't have the slightest clue about, but that doesn't stop certain spiritual "experts" from practically bragging about their confusion. They act as if being spiritual means you shouldn't think at all, just accepting everything blindly... without any thought, integration, or genuine understanding.
Besides... the "path of unification" is known (as I'm sure you know) as Yoga. And as far as I'm aware, one of the specific paths within yoga is Self-actualization, or "The yoga of knowledge."
It used to be called the "royal yoga," mostly because only a king could afford to spend all day in contemplation without having to actually *do* anything. It was a similar story with philosophy back in the day—hardly anyone could afford to sit around philosophizing before the Industrial Revolution hit.
And you've probably heard of a guy named Nagarjun... he wasn't exactly a fan of meditation as a substitute for "self-work." He believed all spiritual concepts are quite easy to grasp once you stop making excuses and decide to actually turn your brain on. They say he could "enlighten" someone in a single conversation—provided, of course, the person actually wanted to figure out what their problem was in the first place.
Most people actually cling to their problems... it makes them feel special, unique... it gives them an identity that others recognize and judge by. It's like saying, "You know... his dad was an alcoholic and used to beat him when he was a kid... he turned out to be a pretty good guy despite all that"... stuff like that.🙄
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An obsession with the ego... even when we claim to despise it. It’s a curious thing, isn't it? As long as we aren't truly indifferent, we're still tethered to it. No matter how much vitriol we throw its way, if there's still passion left—even if that passion is pure resentment—we haven't actually moved past it. Are we really free if we're still fighting the shadow?
I feel like I should probably mention this once more, though I suppose it's redundant... this whole idea that one can somehow weaken the ego before being permanently struck by the force of enlightenment? It’s nothing more than a fairy tale. A bit of a fantasy, really. Is it even possible? Probably not.
The ego... it’s in a constant state of expiration, isn't it? Always dying. It feels like a repetitive cycle, almost exhausting if one thinks about it too long. Does it ever truly stay gone, or is it just waiting for the next moment to resurface? Constant dissolution. Quite curious, really.
And so, the NEW one arrives... regardless of how enlightened you might believe yourself to be.
Is it just rusting away, or is it actually evolving? It’s hard to say, really. But there it sits, laid out with all its vital organs intact.
Temperament remains unchanged. Is it not simply a fixed constant? One wonders if we ever truly move beyond our innate nature, or if we merely learn to mask it behind various social pretenses. It seems, quite frankly, that who we are at our core stays exactly the same.
I recall a time when I was lost in my own little cinematic universe—completely self-absorbed and perpetually gripped by anxiety. I was that person, you know? The one who simply refused to listen to anyone else's input. It was quite a state of being. Interestingly enough, when I finally sat down for a temperament assessment, my "phlegmatic" score came in at a mere 8%. Just a tiny fraction.
Today I find myself playing the role of the "second person," yet the congestion remains absolutely relentless...
Even when my entire worldview shifts... even when behavior patterns start to drift... I remain what I was designed to be. Born. Created. Always, fundamentally, already defined.
For instance, I find myself rarely moved to excitement lately. Others... they don't quite grasp what's happening beneath the surface, my sense of enlightened peace. They see only the stillness. Why should they? 🥳 ...because, honestly, when it comes to the subjects I actually care about, I’m still going to speak my mind—loudly and without any apologies.
As long as I keep moving and evolving, my temperament stays exactly the same. Does anything ever truly change? Or do we just rearrange the furniture while the core remains untouched?
I suppose I am not quite free from the ego just yet. Is that not always the case? One tries to step aside, to let go, only to find the self still lingering in the corner of the room, watching. It’s a persistent thing, isn't it?
Of course, one could simply blend into the crowd of some xy people and spend the rest of their days sitting in a Lotus... but then again? 😂
So... regarding this "problem" I wanted to bring up for discussion...
Is there truly such a thing as final enlightenment? Or some permanent escape from our problems... forever?
So, you can certainly choose to lock yourself away in some sanctuary or temple if that’s your preference... but let’s be honest: that isn't a permanent fix, is it?
When you live among people, you’re constantly bumping into one problem after another. It’s just the nature of things. Anyone claiming they’ve ascended to some level where they sit entirely above life's troubles? They’re lying. Or worse—if that were actually possible, wouldn't it be incredibly bleak? To limit oneself like that... there would be nothing left to learn.
If you find yourself dragging some sort of heavy baggage along everywhere you go... if that weight is constantly riding shotgun... then what you’re calling "problems" aren't actually problems at all. They're just your reality. Is that even a problem? Or is it just life?
Everything was perfectly normal then. Or so it seemed.
So, here is an example:
They’ve been accusing me of being egocentric lately. And then there's this whole business regarding my... let's call it a "closed-off" perspective. A sense of exclusivity, they say. Is that what it is? Or am I just seeing things through a different lens than everyone else? Perhaps. It's all quite curious, really.
Through all of that, there was this one constant, unchanging part of me—this deep-seated hyper-emotionality. It just sat there, right at the core.
I change everything negative... yet she remains exactly as she was. It’s as if her only mission is to refine her flaws—which, in this case, means cultivating an endless capacity for understanding everyone, regardless of how much it costs me.
How does one actually outgrow their own ego? Is there even a roadmap for that, or are we all just wandering blindly through our own delusions? I find myself wondering if it’s possible to truly move past the self, to reach a point where the "I" stops being the center of the universe. Is it an achievement, or more like a quiet surrender?
I am, you jerk.
Well, now I have another one...
It’s this persistent, nagging contrast that keeps weighing on me. I find myself grasping the nuances of people—truly seeing them—yet somehow, they fail to see me. Why is it that the connection always seems to be one-sided? 😂
Not quite so much when it's just the two of us. Because that would imply I’m actually... well, engaging in such activities, and that I am still, somehow, preoccupied with my own self. 😉
Honestly, when I find myself speaking in front of an informal group... well, I know I can't exactly be my full self. I have to leave certain parts of me behind—keep them tucked away—otherwise, their brains might just short-circuit from the weight of my topics. Is that even possible? To truly be known? I suppose I’m far from perfect myself, much like the people I’m talking to.
Now, when I listen... I am listening one hundred percent. Truly. It’s because I’ve learned to follow my intuition—to trust that inner compass—simply because I finally understood what I needed to learn about myself.
I’m starting to see the core essence in everyone...
Of course, I can’t interpret them as distinct individuals—it's not like I have psychic powers—but I perceive this underlying essence that defies description.
And then people start giving me grief because they notice how ten different people around me all perceive my own essence in ten completely different ways.
It’s all quite disorienting... perhaps if I actually paid attention to the thread title, I’d realize there is no such thing as liberation. 😉
It’s like that old saying, "accept what you cannot change."
That really is the hardest lesson to learn...
Once you finish balancing the books with your ego, you're left with the task of meeting your true essence and finally accepting it.
There isn't a single soul out there who doesn't feel at least a flicker of shame regarding their true self; that's where the lack of freedom begins.
You don't necessarily need to develop a complex about your ego, but in the end, that raw essence is what remains.
It's that feeling—that sudden hair-raising sensation when someone crosses a line into your private intimacy. No one can put a clinical label on it like a psychological complex, yet it's undeniably there.
The true self is immutable... and one must learn how to live with it.
That is what enlightenment actually is, rather than all those spiritual textbooks or "gadgets designed to assist astral projection." 😂😂
