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    Thread: Advaita Vedanta - Introduction

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      Advaita Vedanta - Introduction

      WARNING
      My opinion is that Advaita Vedanta is an incredibly positive thing for anyone to practice. BUT that is only my opinion, so...

      As a precaution, I will say, only advanced consciousness explorers should proceed.
      If you're not ready, the information and pointing contained in this thread could come as a massive shock to your system.
      On the other hand, you might see the pointing but shrug it off as "unimportant". If that happens, then you have nothing to worry about because you won't be enticed to follow it through.

      But if you DO follow it through, you will undergo a process of "spiritual awakening", which is truly magical and beautiful, but it can be a bumpy road, especially the first year of it.
      Thankfully there are many many resources out there to help guide people going through a spiritual awakening. Just Google or YouTube "spiritual awakening" and you'll find a tremendous amount of guidance.

      The bumps on the road are usually caused by your increase/expansion of awareness.
      Toxic relationships are revealed. Toxic life habits too. And problems in the world become very clear.
      You become extra sensitive to things. So, negative energy can be suffocating or even painful to be around.
      You naturally learn how to deal with this, but the guidance on the web, it helps a lot.

      HOWEVER, Advaita Vedanta is amazing because it specifically gives you the ability to free yourself from any problem.
      But in my opinion, liberation isn't everything. It is still important that you take care of yourself and stay holistically healthy.

      Intro
      Advaita Vedanta (Nondual Vedanta) is a very old spiritual practice, originating from Hinduism. It is one of the many many ways to become "enlightened".
      There are many flavours of Advaita Vedanta, and Vedanta in general, but they are all based around the same eternal truth.
      It is an incredibly simple practice, but has many complex implications, which you can choose to look at or not.
      In this thread, I aim to keep within the bounds of the simplicity of it.

      I have designed this first post to stand on its own. So if you want to join in, please return to this thread regularly and re-read this first post. It will make more and more sense as time goes on.

      While you are in this thread, I ask you to please drop all your ideas, assumptions and expectations. And drop the past and future.
      Just be here.

      I want you to just look at your experience directly.
      You are perceiving the current moment. That is all the information you need to proceed.






      Let's step back and find "The Witness". Really try to follow me here!



      You see. You have eyes, so, you can see. Confirm?

      What perceives that? Step back.

      You perceive the single image that your eyes create. Confirm?

      What perceives that? Step back.

      Your mind may answer, "Me! I see it!". Or in some way, your mind will claim to be the one which sees the image. Confirm?

      So now your thoughts are saying that THEY perceive it. Ok, fair enough. But, what perceives those thoughts? Step back.

      There is something which is always perceiving. Just simply perceiving. Whatever happens in your experience. Thoughts, sight, sound, touch, taste, smell. This experiential data is PERCEIVED. Confirm?

      If you haven't yet reached a point where you can see pure awareness itself, just keep stepping back. Keep asking yourself, "what sees this?".

      Pure awareness doesn't have thoughts or opinions or anything, it is simply perceiving. It is simply observing. It is simply witnessing. Confirm?




      !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As soon as you pinpoint the pure awareness, take a moment to just bathe in it. Try to step back INTO the pure awareness. But even if you can't do that, just sit and feel the ever-present grace of pure awareness. There are many names for this pure awareness, but it is essentially "the love of God". Feel it as such. Replace "God" with "universe" if you want. To me, they are almost synonymous (I say "almost", because "universe" only refers to one universe out of a possibly infinite number of pocket-realities). But seriously, you can feel the sweet embrace of the universe. Step back into the pure awareness and it kicks up a notch, YOU become pure bliss. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







      What is "The Witness"?
      The witness is pure awareness, as I call it.
      The witness is YOU. Also known as the "True Self", or just the "Self".

      Spoiler for Heavy logic. Might just confuse you. But, understand it and you're golden.:







      TEST
      These questions will help me know where you're at. So please answer honestly and to the best of your ability.

      - I asked you to confirm 5 things. How many can you confirm?
      - Does the witness ever change?

    2. #2
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      TL;DR - SUPER Simple Exercise

      What perceives that? Step back.

      Repeat into infinity.

      When I first started, this was all I needed. Very very simple step that seemed infinitely recursive, at the time.
      It's a good exercise to do, it allows you to dive deep into the core of your being.

      Eventually, some things will dawn on you (I won't tell you what. I want to hear it from you), and the infinite recursion becomes pointless.

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      - Placeholder post -

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      Quote Originally Posted by DawnEye11 View Post
      That's true. I do appreciate the warning. : ) I managed to read it too but for some reason I still can't see anything. All I can think of is being aware of my oneness with my surroundings and that i'm alive. Which is what I thought of before but I feel like that can't be it. Its something else I'm not aware of ironically. I don't know what perceives before the mind either. Im a lost cause for now.
      Just bringing it in here so I don't clog up your thread.


      "All I can think of is being aware of my oneness with my surroundings and that i'm alive."
      You're going in the right direction. In fact, that perspective alone works as a long-term path of awakening. And to be honest, it sounds like you're already on a path of awakening.


      "I don't know what perceives before the mind either."
      Ok, it feels like you're stuck in a common trap.
      I ask "what perceives mind?" and you can only come to the conclusion that mind perceives mind. Right? Because it's all that's in your experience. It's all you know.
      This is why I ask folk to drop all their ideas and assumptions while in this thread. They are only roadblocks to the truth.

      Yes, mind perceives mind. But even that perceiving is perceived.
      Which is why I suggest the infinite recursion of "What perceives that? Step back".
      Try not to think in terms of "what is the thing which is perceiving that?", instead it's more like "That is also perceived. Step back."
      "What perceives that?" is an almost rhetorical question designed to spark your realization that there is a perception behind your current level of perception. You should deep-down know it to be true, because it is self-evident. Any awareness you can possibly have, is also perceived. If it wasn't perceived, it wouldn't be in your reality.

      Anyways, eventually you will reach the point where perception itself (pure awareness) is indescribable and has no form, and you simply cannot call it a part of the mind.
      But this isn't something I can explain. I can only point, in the hopes that you follow it and see for yourself.



      I suppose, you do need to be motivated to have any kind of success. I often forget that.
      Following the pointing is easy, but you need to be motivated enough to actually go deep deep within, with a certain intensity.
      For example, the infinite recursion method, you need to be so motivated that you go deep into your awareness/perception, and when you think you've kinda got somewhere, you keep going, and keep going. This can all happen within seconds (it did for me, my first few recursions happened slowly, then as I realized the expansiveness of it, I accelerated into infinity), or it could be much longer, but either way it really does require an intensity in the practice.


      Some people work to intellectually understand it before they wind up experiencing it. But it's significantly easier to first experience it, THEN intellectually understand it. There's too many angles to consider when it comes to intellectual understanding. It comes naturally after you experience it. But before you experience it, it's a completely unnatural thing to learn.
      Last edited by slash112; 03-09-2018 at 05:26 AM.
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      Dawn:

      Pure awareness doesn't have thoughts or opinions or anything, it is simply perceiving. It is simply observing. It is simply witnessing. Confirm?
      With whatever idea of pure awareness you have, can you confirm the above statement?
      If you can, you're actually doing really well.

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      Quote Originally Posted by slash112 View Post
      Dawn:



      With whatever idea of pure awareness you have, can you confirm the above statement?
      If you can, you're actually doing really well.
      Okay. I can confirm that but is pure awareness being personified? I ask cause you said it was perceiving.Or do you mean the person is perceiving?
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      Quote Originally Posted by slash112 View Post
      Just bringing it in here so I don't clog up your thread.


      "All I can think of is being aware of my oneness with my surroundings and that i'm alive."
      You're going in the right direction. In fact, that perspective alone works as a long-term path of awakening. And to be honest, it sounds like you're already on a path of awakening.


      "I don't know what perceives before the mind either."
      Ok, it feels like you're stuck in a common trap.
      I ask "what perceives mind?" and you can only come to the conclusion that mind perceives mind. Right? Because it's all that's in your experience. It's all you know.
      This is why I ask folk to drop all their ideas and assumptions while in this thread. They are only roadblocks to the truth.

      Yes, mind perceives mind. But even that perceiving is perceived.
      Which is why I suggest the infinite recursion of "What perceives that? Step back".
      Try not to think in terms of "what is the thing which is perceiving that?", instead it's more like "That is also perceived. Step back."
      "What perceives that?" is an almost rhetorical question designed to spark your realization that there is a perception behind your current level of perception. You should deep-down know it to be true, because it is self-evident. Any awareness you can possibly have, is also perceived. If it wasn't perceived, it wouldn't be in your reality.

      Anyways, eventually you will reach the point where perception itself (pure awareness) is indescribable and has no form, and you simply cannot call it a part of the mind.
      But this isn't something I can explain. I can only point, in the hopes that you follow it and see for yourself.



      I suppose, you do need to be motivated to have any kind of success. I often forget that.
      Following the pointing is easy, but you need to be motivated enough to actually go deep deep within, with a certain intensity.
      For example, the infinite recursion method, you need to be so motivated that you go deep into your awareness/perception, and when you think you've kinda got somewhere, you keep going, and keep going. This can all happen within seconds (it did for me, my first few recursions happened slowly, then as I realized the expansiveness of it, I accelerated into infinity), or it could be much longer, but either way it really does require an intensity in the practice.


      Some people work to intellectually understand it before they wind up experiencing it. But it's significantly easier to first experience it, THEN intellectually understand it. There's too many angles to consider when it comes to intellectual understanding. It comes naturally after you experience it. But before you experience it, it's a completely unnatural thing to learn.
      I didn't want to clog your thread either but glad we can talk here.

      : ) Good to know i'm on the right path/going in the right direction.

      Hmm... So it's not the awareness of my mind but the awareness of what surrounds me? Is that what perceives my awareness? Not everything around me is aware but is affected by my awareness though. Did I step too back?
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      Quote Originally Posted by DawnEye11 View Post
      Okay. I can confirm that but is pure awareness being personified? I ask cause you said it was perceiving.Or do you mean the person is perceiving?
      Ah good!

      Pure awareness is not being personified, no.

      A good way to look at it is, if you put your sense of self into the pure awareness, you will be watching your thoughts and senses from a place of stillness. Just observing.
      Even if you think to yourself "oh cool, I'm in a place of stillness right now", your sense of self is still simply watching those thoughts.
      Usually, our sense of self IS the thoughts. Now it's WATCHING the thoughts.

      Pure awareness is ALWAYS watching thoughts and senses from a pure, still place. But our sense of self is not usually WITH the pure awareness, it's usually with the ever-changing person.

      Side note: I consider "thoughts and senses" to be synonymous with "person".


      So it's not the awareness of my mind but the awareness of what surrounds me?
      Actually, I'm impressed at what you just said there. I'm not entirely sure what you mean when you say it, but what you said sounds accurate.

      I would say it more like this:
      "Pure awareness" - Indeed it is not your mind's awareness (which IS a thing). Instead, it is the awareness which sees mind. And that awareness is surrounding you.

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      hmm...I have 2 questions. Is the awareness surrounding me literally or symbolically?
      And what awareness is more pure than awareness Itself?Sorry if this makes you repeat yourself but I think it'll clear something up for me
      Last edited by DawnEye11; 03-09-2018 at 11:28 PM.
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      Quote Originally Posted by DawnEye11 View Post
      hmm...I have 2 questions. Is the awareness surrounding me literally or symbolically?
      And what awareness is more pure than awareness Itself?Sorry if this makes you repeat yourself but I think it'll clear something up for me
      Good questions.

      1) "Is the awareness surrounding me literally or symbolically?"
      Literally. But you can view it as symbolic until you see the literalness of it.
      The way I see it is, pure awareness is actually pervading everything. But I won't get into that, that's an advanced topic for contemplation.

      2) "What awareness is more pure than awareness itself?"
      Well, our normal definition of "awareness" is "knowledge or perception of a situation or fact."
      Pure awareness doesn't have knowledge. It simply sees. And it doesn't discern situations and facts. It simply sees them as they are. It is just so pure.
      Last edited by slash112; 03-10-2018 at 12:14 AM.
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      Thanks! ^w^ This is starting to feel like a riddle now. Hehe I was going to say the things that make up the universe but I read that there is no proof that there is awareness in even a atom or plant and knowledge of biology debunked that theory. So I've run out of options other than other humans/entities if they exist. : P

      Than again...is it being aware of what allows us to use the five senses? Now i'm really lost
      >. <
      Last edited by DawnEye11; 03-10-2018 at 01:46 AM.
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      Yeah that's all ideas and concepts. All roadblocks.
      I do apologize, it is easy for it to turn into a riddle. When you see things from my perspective, it isn't a riddle. So this stuff is good to check back on in the future. Maybe one day you'll come back here and it all makes complete and utter sense.

      The practice itself is very simple. Pulling yourself back into stillness. Over time, truths are naturally revealed to you, and you'll basically transcend in steps.
      Since you can confirm that pure awareness doesn't have thoughts or anything, I assume you can see the still, silent nature of pure awareness. That's all you need.
      If you can feel the silent witness, that is good because the whole practice here is about pulling yourself back, into the silent witness.
      You can do this at random times, even if just for a brief moments. It's not necessary to force yourself into it every waking moment (I did do that, but it's not necessary).

      One thing I love about this practice is that you can basically meditate while doing anything. Going for a walk? Meditate. Be the silent witness of yourself walking. Getting shouted at? Meditate. Be the silent witness of yourself getting shouted at. Working? Meditate. Be the silent witness of yourself working away.
      Last edited by slash112; 03-10-2018 at 02:08 AM.
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      Its fine. Maybe I don't get what pure awareness is now but I understand that your just observing for the most part silently after you let your thoughts pass. Today I read a book about an author who played chess. He talked about his life growing up and the art of learning. In the chapter I read he talked about a moment where he slipped into pure awareness. He didn't see the people around him. Everything around him was gone except the chess board in front of him. Not even the Small earthquake he felt shook his focus. Until finally he saw the chess move that would lead him to victory in the game.

      This sounds like the observation your talking about. I just dont see the literal awareness. Is it literal as in action and not a entitie?What do you think of the chess example?
      Last edited by DawnEye11; 03-10-2018 at 02:33 AM.
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      Quote Originally Posted by DawnEye11 View Post
      I just dont see the literal awareness. Is it literal as in action and not a entitie?
      It's neither action nor entity.
      It simply is.


      The chess example is interesting. It sounds different from what I'm talking about. His thing sounds like highly focused awareness.

      Moving into the silent witness has the opposite effect. It spreads your awareness equally amongst everything in your experience.
      Basically, you see things exactly as they are, no more, no less.

      But you can still be highly focused AND connected to the silent witness, at the same time. It just means you are the silent witness of yourself being highly focused.

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      Great~ I think that sums it up perfectly for me. So silent witness is the observer silently witnessing things that happen around them without judgement and pure awareness is being present in the moment observing how your awareness is working around you. That way the witness/observer can avoid the faults of what was not perceived due to distracting thoughts. Is that right?
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      Spot on!

      You've done well here, Dawn.
      Just let that sink in, and I recommend taking random moments to notice the silent witness.

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      Yay~ Now wheres my prize? XD Jk
      Okay, I will try it at random times. Thx Slash.: ) I feel like i've done this before but not a lot so it'll be interesting.
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      Having read the disclaimer above I just wanted to throw in my two cents, having experienced some issues with Advaita Vedanta, and having since moved away from the practice. I don't know what your path in life is, and will not tell you what you should or should not pursue. Only you can know what is best for you. But, I think that some people begin these spiritual practices and are blissfully unaware of what they are getting themselves into. They can't really foresee that a spiritual practice can be a painful experience, or even become a crisis. But it can. For me, I practiced vichara (the method of self-inquiry outlined above) for roughly a year (this was the year prior to my five year lucid dreaming and Dreamviews hiatus). Certain "spiritual experiences" (who were these experiences happening to? hehe) became more and more intense, and eventually it felt as if the little 'i' was teetering on a precipice, nothing more than a flickering flame about to be extinguished forever by a breath of air. This was exactly what I had been working towards. Self-realization, enlightenment, or whatever you want to call it seemed so close. But, I never could have anticipated the panic and sheer terror. This was probably similar to what religious scholar Rudolph Otto had in mind when he used the phrase mysterium tremendum et fascinans to describe what he called a numinous experience. Ultimately I was unable to push through the fear, but worldly life had already lost all meaning and I could not turn away from Advaita Vedanta completely. Not being able to go forward, and unable to go back, I was stuck in this depressing, lonely, and painful nowhere. I will skip over the very messy details of what happened next, and how my views eventually became more secularized, but I just want anyone reading the thread to know that some people may have an adverse reaction to diving headfirst into this sort of thing, and that you should exercise caution. Personality and other individual differences will likely affect how you relate to any spiritual practice, but at the end of the day it is difficult to predict what exactly your experience will be. Your mileage will probably vary, and will probably be more positive. But maybe not.

      McDreamy
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      Thank you McDreamy! I didn't go into enough detail in my warning, so that helps a lot.

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      To add something of my perspective to McDeamy’s warning....I think the inquiry about identity isn’t itself very dangerous. The problem is the ideology, which tells you what fears and questions to disregard as unimportant, and tells you what will happen if you push on. The ideology is a half-truth which can’t deliver what it promises. There’s an assumption that the esteemed gurus of the past knew what they were doing, but they only knew what their philosophy said was important to understand, which left out other important things. Laziness and hypocrisy tend protect people from the worst effects, but if you drink too deeply it can cause trouble. At the same time, the questions of identity being explored in the practice are indispensably important and valuable to the extent you’re cut out for exploring it.

      My advice would be to ask all the questions, and find out more about yourself. But don’t believe any of the assertions about what answers you’ll find. Those will blind you to what you really need and what you will really find.

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