The Most Rapid and Direct Means to Eternal Bliss

[ButterflyWoman]

I haven't read all of this, though I did skim through somewhat, and found it interesting enough to share the link. Free and online, though you can buy a paper copy if you want (http://www.thefreedomreligionpress.com/). They also have a Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eternalbliss/) if you're interested, but it doesn't appear to be very active.

Anyway:

The Most Rapid and Direct Means to Eternal Bliss (http://www.albigen.com/uarelove/most_rapid/contents.aspx)

[Enochian]

Surprised to see this mentioned here.

It was a satisfactory neoAdvaita/Zen book until I discovered Dzogchen, the king of nondualism.

By the way, there are a LOT of books like this by Eckhart Tolle, Robert Adams (Silence of the Heart), Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharishi, Adyashanti etc.

[ButterflyWoman]

I would also recommend "Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing" by Jed McKenna.

[heliac]

nice, i liked it

Really can't stand the ego(thought) bashing though...

So many different definitions to the idea of the ego. Reading this helped a little:
http://www.egodeath.com/virtualego.htm

[CFTraveler]

nice, i liked it

Really can't stand the ego(thought) bashing though...

So many different definitions to the idea of the ego. Reading this helped a little:
http://www.egodeath.com/virtualego.htm Thank you heliac. I found it refreshing.

[sono]

Thanks heliac, that link lead to a very thought provoking collection of articles!

[newfreedom]

I haven't read all of this, though I did skim through somewhat, and found it interesting enough to share the link. Free and online, though you can buy a paper copy if you want (http://www.thefreedomreligionpress.com/). They also have a Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eternalbliss/) if you're interested, but it doesn't appear to be very active.

Anyway:

The Most Rapid and Direct Means to Eternal Bliss (http://www.albigen.com/uarelove/most_rapid/contents.aspx)


:) Thanks CW, as someone who is constantly chasing, trying to find and then remain hold of their awareness, i found this book link very interesting, not read anything quite like this before.
I wonder if this can help me in my awareness quest ? i hope so :)

[ButterflyWoman]

Ah, well, here's a bit of a hint that might help somewhat.

Awareness is what IS. You can't get it, achieve it, create it, generate it, or anything of the sort, because it's already there, everywhere, all the time, infinitely and ubiquitously.

What actually happens is that "you" become less and less opaque, and what starts out as a tiny little tunnel of understanding gradually becomes bigger and bigger as "you" get out of your own way.

So it's not that you can become more aware (though we use that term often because it's convenient to use), it's that you become less unaware. You don't gain sight, you lose blindness.

Make any sense? It may be something that has to be experienced to be fully grokked, but perhaps the pointer will point you in a useful direction.

[Enochian]

Too add to this...

Make a sharp distinction between awareness and mind (thoughts).

By the way, awareness is just ordinary awareness coming out of your eyeballs and is looking at the computer screen right now.

Now you are a nonduality master just like Adyashanti or whomever.

If you need more help read the second paragraph here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzogchen

[newfreedom]

Ok, Thanks CW,


it's that you become less unaware. You don't gain sight, you lose blindness.

i'd not thought of it that way before,

i do feel i have been 'losing blindness' over the last few years and i do have phases where i feel like i have expanded awareness and many ways to recieve input and life, but i can never maintain these phases, i always lose my ability to 'hold-on' to, or remain at this level.

I do have trouble being 'present' with 'anything' and am often what i call 'not here' unaware or unconscious (automated) with myself and my life, though this is the thing i am most keen to improve

I just can't seem to get what i need to remain in these better 'spaces', no matter what progress i make, i never seem to be able to keep hold of anything and then progress or improve further...... maybe it just takes time..... and i am too impatient to get to a better 'space'

I 'woke up' (you could say)in 2006, so i guess i've only been really working with it/myself for nearly 5 yrs, i've probably just got more stuff to clear

----------------------------------------------

Thanks Enochian,


Make a sharp distinction between awareness and mind (thoughts).

By the way, awareness is just ordinary awareness coming out of your eyeballs and is looking at the computer screen right now.

Now you are a nonduality master just like Adyashanti or whomever.

Actually i often feel most aware when i am also able to think, or at least, when i am able to be aware of my thoughts and my thinking self (which isn't all that often unfortunately)
I am more connected to my feeling-self than i used to be, which allows me to experience more.

Yes, ordinary awareness seems to be wherever 'ones' attention is, but then there seems to be this 'complicated bit', which requires 'one' to be aware of 'where one is putting their attention' and again i find this a real effort to do most of the time.

Well, there might be the potencial to be a nonduality master, but i aint living it or experiencing it yet, Enochian :)

I have never really got the hang of meditating, i always just fail to maintain my attention / awareness and fall asleep, or 'go off somewhere' - think i need to try again so perhaps i can get more understanding on the awareness v's thinking side of things

I read the link - thanks

[ButterflyWoman]

i always lose my ability to 'hold-on' to, or remain at this level.
Everyone does, or almost everyone (there are probably a few rare folks who just pop awake and stay that way). Most people have awakening moments and then fall back into lower levels of awareness, and keep doing that until, slowly, the periods of awareness become longer and longer. It's very like maintaining awareness in a dreamstate (i.e., lucid dreaming). At first, you may not be able to maintain the awareness for long, but with time and practice, it just happens on its own.


I do have trouble being 'present' with 'anything' and am often what i call 'not here' unaware or unconscious (automated) with myself and my life, though this is the thing i am most keen to improve
I understand that one, too. :) There are exercises that will help remind you to keep focus on the present and be present. One I heard of is to imagine you're from some unspecified future, where they have a means of allowing you to go back in time and experience something (like, driving a car to the grocery store, or attending a university class, or eating lunch, or whatever you're about to do ;)). Approach whatever you're doing that way.

I don't do that all the time, but I do it sometimes, and not only is it fun, it definitely gets you in the habit of being really present and paying attention. Right now I'm experiencing early 21st century style internet communication. Can you believe it? They still use typed language! Wow! I'm also experiencing iced coffee. Yum. :)

[CFTraveler]

Another fun activity (I haven't done it lately, but then again, I'm weird anyway) that I used to do is to pretend I came from another planet in which life is completely different, and to see everything as if for the first time. It's an interesting point of view, and puts you in the 'observer' state pretty quickly, without stress.

[newfreedom]

Thanks for the replies and the ideas :)

I do have the ability to observe, watch, be present and open at times and thinking of the ideas you both gave, enabled me to get in-touch with the 'memory' and the 'how' of this,
- just to 'see' what's going on and to pay attention with interest and to 'get it' on a different level

Also i had a very vivid dream last night that had a very strong 'feeling-know' to it, seemed to be about the process of progressing and understanding, so just chatting with you all here seems to help to push me forward

:D lot's of thanks

[Tutor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QZjJU-m ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QZjJU-mtFU&feature=related)

You are Love, the highest law is love; "Love is the Law, Love under Will"

As you come to know that love is the law, you will understand the meaning of the 23rd Psalm: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou annointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

Love One Another...Light up the World...Love is the Answer...Let it Shine

[Alaskans]

im annoyed he didnt say more about schizophrenia.
i saw ego as nothing but a mass of interpretive responses to external stimuli, and therefore seperate from me. problem is without it you are at the mercy of outside influences and intellegences. without definition we dont exist, we can observe, but not act or own a body, or own anything other than our power to observe. so ya, i guess to transcend those outside egoes you need a strong ego larger and greater than your body, encompassing the world or beyond- what responsibility!