PDA

View Full Version : Greetings



AwareConsciousness
05 January 2010, 05:36 AM
Hello everyone,

I would like to thank you for letting me join your website and building this forum in the first place as I am sure it is valuable resource for seekers of the truth.

I have started my own little blog based on my experience of the truth. About a year and half ago I experienced enlightenment and have been living in pure peace ever since. I think I can hep confused people. Obviously it's your job to free yourself but perhaps my posts can work as signposts to that wonderful moment. Perhaps not. Totally your discretion!

Anyway, I look forward to contributing on to this forum and helping people (hopefully). Namaste!

Yours truly,

Tom.

yajvan
05 January 2010, 09:48 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~~

Namasté Tom,

Welcome to the forum. If I may Tom, Let me ask about your experience i.e. enlightenment ( some call mokṣa, others like kevala) . Did it stick? Is it with you ( the experience of Self) all the time? 7x24x365?

If yes, then I will ask your kind permission to ask a few more questions so others can delight in what this experience is all about , and at the same time bring to the forefront some of the ideas the upaniṣads and other āgama-s offer, and what Patañjali’s yogadarśana no less may contribute on this matter.

Again, welcome and we hope to see more of your posts.

praṇām

Eastern Mind
06 January 2010, 07:29 AM
AC: Welcome to these pages. I hope you find some valuable stuff here. Its a varied (some would say motley even) group we have. I'm with Yajvan. Let us know more.

Aum Namasivaya

AwareConsciousness
11 January 2010, 04:52 PM
Dear friends,

Apologies for the late reply, my attention has rested on other things recently.

Let me detail for you my experience: about a year and half ago it occurred, what I would like to call a 'stepping back'. At the time I was very depressed and was contemplating suicide most of the time. It was a wretched existence. So much suffering. I felt like my mind was on fire. I slept for hours and hours and hours because sleep was my only release. I had two options: commit suicide or change. So I looked into change. I scoured the internet looking for some kind of answer. I found it in a transcript of a speech given by the controversial guru Rajneesh, now more widely known as Osho, on this website http://deoxy.org/egofalse.htm

The notion that I, which all my life had been the centre of my existence, was merely an accumulation of thoughts which themselves were caused by a chain of prior thoughts going all the way back to my infancy suddenly put everything in perspective. I meditated deeply on this and it occurred to me that I had been living a dream. I remember at the time I was meditating in the green-house in my garden. It was a beautiful afternoon. The plants were vibrant and green and the smell of nature perfumed the air. I remember it so well - the day 'I' died. I sat and simply was. I let go and experienced for the first time my true self as consciousness. It was truly blissful. All my sorrows disappeared. I was free, simply drinking in the delicious oxygen of the air around me in that little old greenhouse.

About a week later the ego crept back and reestablished itself cunningly. But funnily enough a few days later it vanished again. The same thing happened over a weekend. The ego returned then after two days it was gone. It was quite remarkable. It never returned after that. It was as if those moments were its death throes.

Since then nothing can cause me suffering. I speak of 1 and half years experience. Many things have occurred in my life. I haven't been living in a bubble. I have travelled far and wide and experienced many different situations. This perspective has remained with me constantly. No thing can harm me, no thing can influence me, for I am abiding beyond things in the embracing emptiness of consciousness. My life is so peaceful. There is no fear, no suffering. All of that is just seen as a dream - optional. There is still suffering in my body. There is still pain in me, but no-one's interacting with it anymore. It's just pain. No-one getting hurt. How can there be anyone in the present moment anyway?

Anyway - that's my experience, I hope it is of interest or help to you. If you are interested in anything else I have to say, please feel free to visit my humble blog http://awareconsciousness.blogspot.com

Thank you for your welcome,

Tom.

yajvan
12 January 2010, 09:04 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~~

Namasté Tom,

Let me ask,

Do you have this experience of Self ( some call Self-referral ) at all times? During wake-dream-sleep?
Do you think this is the final state? Do you think that more can unfold?
What is your relationship with the environment ( code word for the Universe) around you?
Do you have the experience of ṛta ? Let me explain.
ṛtam ऋतम् + bharā भर+ prajñā प्रज्णा= ṛtam (luminous, insightful unalloyed, pure) + bharā ( bearing, bestowing, carrying) + pra (great) + jñā ( to know). One perceives only the Truth. Some call this unalloyed, unvarnished great truth and becomes a part of one's daily vision. This is the practical value of knowledge + experience.
Why do I ask about this ṛtam ? It suggests that only the truth comes to the person with this level of awareness. This suggests then that what is read is perfectly clear - hence various śāstra-s become clear and lively in one's awareness.I have many questions if you wish to engage in a dialog on this matter. Let me leave it there for now with the questions above.

thank you for sharing your experiences.
praṇām

Eastern Mind
13 January 2010, 08:16 AM
Vanakkamm AC: I did take a look at your site a few days back. I also have a question for you.

What does your experience have to do with Hinduism? Why did you decide to post on HDF?

For me, it has everything to do with Sanatana Dharma, as what you speak of is certainly within our teachings, and not in Abrahamic faiths.

But why no mention of Hinduism?

Aum Namasivaya

MahaHrada
13 January 2010, 09:13 AM
But why no mention of Hinduism?

Aum Namasivaya

He mentions Hinduism and mantra shastra in his blog in a very insulting and supremacist way:

http://awareconsciousness.blogspot.com/2010/01/glittery-tinsel-of-enlightenment.html



All those mantras and fancy terms are just words. I could invent a tantra now on the spur of the moment and it would be just as 'good' as any old Om Mane Padme Hum or Hare Krishna. You could sit down intoning I AM A MORON...I AM A MORON...I AM A MORON to yourself;.....

Sorry Shiva, you're no more special than an abandoned supermarket trolley floating in a pond, or a dentist's waiting room

Eastern Mind
13 January 2010, 09:22 AM
He mentions Hinduism and mantra shastra in his blog in a very insulting and supremacist way:

http://awareconsciousness.blogspot.com/2010/01/glittery-tinsel-of-enlightenment.html

Vannakkam MahaHrada: Thanks for that. I guess my old memory and reading skills are fading into uselessness. Wasn't the first time and I suspect it won't be the last time Hindus get insulted then.

Aum Namasivaya

MahaHrada
13 January 2010, 02:00 PM
Vannakkam MahaHrada: Thanks for that. I guess my old memory and reading skills are fading into uselessness. Wasn't the first time and I suspect it won't be the last time Hindus get insulted then.

Aum Namasivaya

It was my pleasure ;)

We are confronted in his Blog with the all too common neo colonialist attitude.
Plunder with one Hand and denigrate with the other.

"The myth of modernity perpetrates a gigantic inversion: the innocent victim becomes culpable and the culpable victimizer becomes innocent. "
Enrique Dussel cited in R.Malhotras article.


"The west plagiarizes from Hinduism-Buddhism with one hand (e.g. cognitive science), while another western hand stereotypes the source as 'caste, cows, curry' exotica and worse (via anthropology/religious studies). The academic arson referenced here is merely a continuation of the age old 'plunder while you denigrate the source' process at work. It is a continuation of the paganization of pre-Christian religions while at the same time appropriating many central elements from the pagans into Christianity."

"The Asymmetric Dialog of Civilizations"Rajiv Malhotra

http://rajivmalhotra.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:the-asymmetric-dialog-of-civilizations&catid=22:dialog-of-civilizations&Itemid=26

saidevo
13 January 2010, 08:52 PM
namaste Hindus.

This chap who tom-toms his spiritual enlightenment would say that the Hindu ways of worship are full of cheap tinsel but would speak nothing about the even cheaper and falsely glittering tinsel and paraphernalia of the Christian worship in churches. So much for his biased outlook and it seems that he is hardly cured of his depression yet, let alone possess the experiential knowledge of the Self.

Why is it that every TDH who reads (and lifts) some Hindu concept and connects it to some weird dream he/she has and then tom-toms they are enlightened, invade this forum for Hindus who know their religion better?

rahulg
14 January 2010, 10:48 AM
He mentions Hinduism and mantra shastra in his blog in a very insulting and supremacist way:

http://awareconsciousness.blogspot.com/2010/01/glittery-tinsel-of-enlightenment.html

He is inspired by Osho. And Osho didn't believe in any religion, because he saw them as tools of oppression. So this may not be explicit hatred of Hinduism but the freethinking agnosticism of Osho. Just my thoughts.

Eastern Mind
14 January 2010, 01:50 PM
Why is it that every TDH who reads (and lifts) some Hindu concept and connects it to some weird dream he/she has and then tom-toms they are enlightened, invade this forum for Hindus who know their religion better?

Spiritual ego, Saidevo. I don't get it personally, either. You can read a few books, have a couple of mystical experiences of some sense of oneness with the universe, get the experience of the eternal now, and suddenly you're god's gift to mankind. There are several prerequisites..

1: Steadfastness. Daily sadhana, some control of mind. Utmost honesty.
2: Absolute unconditional brahmacarya .. no semen leaving the body ... period
3. bhakti, inner or outer, dual or nondual, but bhakti which cultivates humility
4. will, lots of it including the ability to shut up about personal experiences
5. the finding of a personal preceptor, a guide, a guru
6. rise of kundalini, and closing of gates to lower realms, along the spine, permanent change
7. meditation, the ability to sit still for long periods, fasting etc.
8. light within, lots of it.. opening of the third eye, ajna chakra (It's not referred to as enLIGHTenment for nothing, not what you see after staring at a lightbulb and then closing your eyes, but generated even after 6 hours in a totally dark room

I'm sure there are more prerequisites. But this is a sampling.. Hindus all understand this. It doesn't happen like the mailman drops a letter in your mailbox.

Aum Namasivaya

MahaHrada
14 January 2010, 02:39 PM
He is inspired by Osho. And Osho didn't believe in any religion, because he saw them as tools of oppression. So this may not be explicit hatred of Hinduism but the freethinking agnosticism of Osho. Just my thoughts.

I have not read a single remark against conventional outward religion as such in the article, therefore I don´t think it is worthwhile or even necessary to ask what inspired him, just for the reason to speculate whether he possibly meant to express something different from what he actually wrote.

Whatever conclusion we will arrive at when doing such a guesswork his attitude towards indian art and culture, tantra, mantra shastra and hindu and buddhist deities and mantras will still remain supremacist. This is an attitude that is not shared by Rajneesh.

He cannot even accept that other westerners show their respect and affinity to hindu culture openly and jokes about Georg Harrison because of his adaption of Indian music, culture and spiritual practice, he seems to think it is foolish and disgusting that a white musician plays the sitar.

Now how can you think that such an attitude is directed against religion as such and is not directed against indian culture specifically?

What remains to be remarked is that as far as i know, Rajnesh (Osho) had a great respect towards tantra and mantra shastra, and teachers such as gorakhnatha and buddha where counted by him amongst the greatest sages that lived, so i do not see any fair chance how Rajnesh could have been the inspiration to comment negatively about hindu and buddhist mantras, sadhakas, deities and tantra shastra.

AwareConsciousness
14 January 2010, 03:08 PM
Dear friends,

You seem to have misunderstood me and I see a lot of anger and insulted people here.

Let me just clarify a few things.

Firstly, I am not attacking Hinduism or Indian culture. As a matter of a fact I think it's amazing and would love to visit India.

I am trying to show people, as Krishnamurti did, that there is a path to spiritual enlightenment that is beyond all concepts rooted in cultures, languages, religious or political systems et cetera. All religions share this single common ground of nonduality. The problem is that it is shrouded in mysticism and imagery which divert one's attention somewhat - or at least that's my experience of it. In fact I would go so far as to say that the mystical and esoteric aspects of religions are purposely shrouded in superstition, deities and imagery (all religions) by elites to divert the devotee or seeker away from the simple core of the religion that all is one, that you are the present moment. But maybe that's just conspiracy talk.

Anyway please don't be offended I am a great admirer of Hinduism and Hindu culture and I think advaita vedanta is probably the clearest of all religions. My own heroes are Ramana Maharshi and Krishnamurti...so you could hardly call me racist now?

Anyway what I talk about is beyond all race, culture, class, nations etc. The whole game of calling oneself this and that will not free you, be that terminology Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist - whatever. The truth is here and now, anywhere - India, America, Australia, England - it is simply this present moment.

I will respond to the other interesting questions as soon as I can but I just wanted to clarify this point before you banned me or something.

Peace and love to you all

AC Editor.

Eastern Mind
14 January 2010, 04:47 PM
Vannakkam:

This will most likely be my last post on this as I don't really want to get into a bashing criticizing mood. I just would like to say it is possible, although personally I would consider it unlikely in this case. Some people do realise the self, obviously, or we'd never talk about it. And it has happened at young ages to westerners. But I believe those circumstances would be incredibly rare. It is very doubtful that such a soul would even be able to type for a while as there has to be an extended period of adjustment.

It is doubtful any soul of that quality would come on here basically trolling for followers. It is the Hindu tradition that a student has to ask to be taught before the teacher can teach.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
15 January 2010, 08:41 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté EM,


Spiritual ego, Saidevo. I don't get it personally, either. You can read a few books, have a couple of mystical experiences of some sense of oneness with the universe, get the experience of the eternal now, and suddenly you're god's gift to mankind. There are several prerequisites..

1: Steadfastness. Daily sadhana, some control of mind. Utmost honesty.
2: Absolute unconditional brahmacarya .. no semen leaving the body ... period
3. bhakti, inner or outer, dual or nondual, but bhakti which cultivates humility
4. will, lots of it including the ability to shut up about personal experiences
5. the finding of a personal preceptor, a guide, a guru
6. rise of kundalini, and closing of gates to lower realms, along the spine, permanent change
7. meditation, the ability to sit still for long periods, fasting etc.
8. light within, lots of it.. opening of the third eye, ajna chakra (It's not referred to as enLIGHTenment for nothing, not what you see after staring at a lightbulb and then closing your eyes, but generated even after 6 hours in a totally dark room

I'm sure there are more prerequisites.

I think at a later date and with your permission, a review of this list may be a good topic of discussion. That said, I would ask you to consider the following:

Absolute unconditional brahmacarya .. no semen leaving the body ... period If this were true where then would the family of ṛṣi's be perpetuated? There would be no āñgaris family, no kāṇva family, etc. Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Mahābhārata, was the eldest son of vyāsa , he too would not exist, along with many others.

Some of the greatest lineages of seers/ṛṣi-s completely possessed of brahman where father-son creations.

There is must be more to this then just the spilling of sūkra, don't you think? We can address on a different post yet there is deeper significance to some of the items on your list and who they ( the rigor offered) applies to.

praṇām

Spiritualseeker
15 January 2010, 09:13 AM
If this were true where then would the family of ṛṣi's be perpetuated? There would be no āñgaris family, no kāṇva family, etc. Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Mahābhārata, was the eldest son of vyāsa , he too would not exist, along with many others.

Some of the greatest lineages of seers/ṛṣi-s completely possessed of brahman where father-son creations.

There is must be more to this then just the spilling of sūkra, don't you think? We can address on a different post yet there is deeper significance to some of the items on your list and who they ( the rigor offered) applies to.

praṇām


Nice clarification. I wondered at this. I didnt want to feel hopeless myself, having a wife and still seeking for my True Self. Thanks again for the clarification

Eastern Mind
15 January 2010, 10:01 AM
SS and Yajvan:

The list I made was only examples of things that came off the top of my head as prerequisites, from my point of view, for moksha. The true list would be much longer than this. I was merely pointing some things out for our Dear friend AC's consideration. So I would see no point in analysing the list. But if you want to, go ahead. I may or may not contribute.

Regarding celibacy, from my sampradaya's teachings there are two distinct paths, that of the householder, and that of the sannyasin. Only one of them leads to the Self in this lifetime. The householder path leads to an eventual opportunity to take sannyas in some future lifetime, and of course it is a valid path. (With a death of a spouse, or all worldly obligations fulfilled, a householder may take sannyas in his old age.) Nobody's saying all must be celibate. That would be foolishness. But for a traditional sannyasi, its an absolute. If I could refer you to Vivekenanda's "Song of the Sannyasin" that would be a starting point.

Sexual energy is transmuted, and heads up the spine as kundalini.

Now different sampradayas will have a different take on all this, but this at least is my view.

Aum Namasivaya

Spiritualseeker
15 January 2010, 10:29 AM
Thank you eastern mind I understand. I still think a house holder can find the Self even while one's wife is alive. I dont know if there are any scriptures to back this up, but this is what I feel. Perhaps its my personal delusion, but I am tired of people trying to make me a certain way (I am not implying that is what you are doing, i know you are just being informative for the Original poster), I dont want to get caught up in concepts such as these. Its like how Mooji was asked by a lady if she should become vegetarian. He said forget about vegetarianism. He wasnt down talking vegetarianism, but he was trying to get her to stop making things into concepts or some concept you have to have or do in order to obtain moksha.

yajvan
15 January 2010, 10:32 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté EM,


SS and Yajvan:

The list I made was only examples of things that came off the top of my head as prerequisites, from my point of view, for moksha. The true list would be much longer than this. I was merely pointing some things out for our Dear friend AC's consideration. So I would see no point in analysing the list. But if you want to, go ahead. I may or may not contribute.

Regarding celibacy, from my sampradaya's teachings there are two distinct paths, that of the householder, and that of the sannyasin. Only one of them leads to the Self in this lifetime. The householder path leads to an eventual opportunity to take sannyas in some future lifetime, and of course it is a valid path. (With a death of a spouse, or all worldly obligations fulfilled, a householder may take sannyas in his old age.) Nobody's saying all must be celibate. That would be foolishness. But for a traditional sannyasi, its an absolute. If I could refer you to Vivekenanda's "Song of the Sannyasin" that would be a starting point.

Sexual energy is transmuted, and heads up the spine as kundalini.

Now different sampradayas will have a different take on all this, but this at least is my view. Aum Namasivaya

What you offer is appreciated and worthy of merit. My note was and remains , not every one takes to saṃyās for samāpti ( completion).

Let me offer another point you mention ( again this is to compare and contrast points of view); you offer,

7. meditation, the ability to sit still for long periods, fasting etc.
Yes, sitting for some time will occur , but it is not the pre-requiste for practice, it is the result of successful practice that this occurs. It is the joy and the desire to sit in silence that occurs. When one settles down and comfort is experienced in one's meditation, then the enlightened-motivation is to return to that repose.

Now, also let me say I see how you re applying it to the original post, makes sense. Yet the list is worthy of discussion ( and I respect your choice to participate or not) - yet bringing this conversation to another folder may be prudent.

My intent is ( I hope) openly obvious. For those that wish to pursue complettion ( samāpti) these ideas need to be clear and understood.
It is beyond Tom the original poster who may have different interests here, but for 'regular' HDF members, this knowledge and insight is worthy of discussion. That is, your list has merit, yet needs to be better understood . I am not finding fault ( I know you know that :) ) . I try to see/view this post and as many as possible as a chance to add insight and bring a level of understanding to this wisdom and promote a conversation for comprehension.
For that I thank you for the list and hope you too will bring insight into your list that you have offered - knowledge is the greatest purifier.

praṇām

Eastern Mind
15 January 2010, 10:44 AM
You seem to have misunderstood me and I see a lot of anger and insulted people here.



I can only speak for myself. I hold no anger towards you. If your comment was about me, you misread the intention behind my words. The blend of New-Age and Hinduism has been around for quite some time. Some of us are used to it. Insult, well that may be a different matter. Your depiction of a consciousness beyond images shows your misunderstanding. It is true from an absolute perspective that God is formless. But He/she also has form. In my books, your view represents simplistic Advaita. Do you think we are silly enough that we lay our bodies out in front of a temple's murthi to think that that murthi isn't within us as well. We are always worshipping God within, although it may appear to some unknowing bystander to be the opposite.

The other problem is that most most people come here in humility to learn, to share, to ask questions, etc. Your words, whether intentional or not, displayed a condescending holier than thou attitude. There are many here who have been studying scripture or meditating for long periods of time. Many already have Gurus or teachers. There is nothing new in your teaching or realisation, or method. No one here dosen't already know that the eternity of the moment is an essential part of reality.

The first thing you need to learn is that Hinduism is incredibly vast; there are many of points of view, mostly varying on the path to God, not on the nature of God. But yes, we vary on that as well.

My humble suggestion, therefore, would be for you to spend some time perusing some of the archives here, as well as some of the links, perhaps. This religion is full of contradiction. It is simple at the core, yet amazingly complex in practice.

I do hope you do go to India. India is both welcoming and humbling. It would be a valuable experience for anyone.

Aum namasivaya

Eastern Mind
15 January 2010, 10:49 AM
I am trying to show people, as Krishnamurti did,

You don't see how this come across as egotistical? Putting yourself on the same level as some past great (some would debate) philosopher/teacher.

Aum Namasivaya

Eastern Mind
15 January 2010, 12:11 PM
For those that wish to pursue complettion ( samāpti)

Yajvanji: I am unfamiliar with the term samapti, or completion in this sense. If you don't mind, can you please elaborate.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
15 January 2010, 01:35 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté EM,


Yajvanji: I am unfamiliar with the term samapti, or completion in this sense. If you don't mind, can you please elaborate.
Aum Namasivaya

First thank you for your posts and patience...
This word samāpti is nothing extravagant or esoteric , it is simply defined as accomplishment , completion , perfection , conclusion. You can see then how it would parallel (compliment) the notion of mokṣa.

Also - I am open to let Tom (AC) explain his position and experiences a bit better. I think Tom may also get a chance to hear from us on what is considered valued and insightful. I think he may get a 'feel' for the sensitivities of the values one practicing sanātana dharma has here on HDF and that may just expand his vision a bit.

Tom, ( if you are reading this) - there was/is issue to how śiva was addressed on your blog . You have asked a few of the HDF members to take a look there. This was the sore point as of late ( not for all , but still a sore point). You may see śiva in a different light, but for many here He is maheśvara महेश्वराय - the combination of maha or great, mighty, strong, abundant + īśvara which lord, king, Supreme Being; hence maheśvarāya is the Great and Mighty Ruler.
He is that Perfect Silence - that Purity of Being. If you do not recognize Him as an entity, that is fine, but He is the Silence ( perfect stillness) of Being you may experience in your practice, or the silence of the SELF you may be experiencing.

If you see it differently let us know - just be sensitive that we look to this Being as the Absolute, Final, perfect samāpti ( completeness itself).

If you wish to teach us, fine, but it seems to me you need to be mindful of what 'grade school ' you are in and address the 'children' in their language that is accommodating first before taking them to a different level.

As my ācārya often said , 'the teacher gains more then the student' - here is your opportunity.

praṇām

Eastern Mind
15 January 2010, 03:32 PM
Yajvanji:

Nandri for samapti defined, and regarding AC, you put my similar thoughts much better than I could have. I'm certainly open to having dialogue, but let it be dialogue, which is give and take.

Aum Namasivaya

AwareConsciousness
18 January 2010, 01:25 PM
Tom, ( if you are reading this) - there was/is issue to how śiva was addressed on your blog . You have asked a few of the HDF members to take a look there. This was the sore point as of late ( not for all , but still a sore point). You may see śiva in a different light, but for many here He is maheśvara महेश्वराय - the combination of maha or great, mighty, strong, abundant + īśvara which lord, king, Supreme Being; hence maheśvarāya is the Great and Mighty Ruler.
He is that Perfect Silence - that Purity of Being.

I fully agree with you my friend that Siva is certainly Perfect Silence, and there have been a million other names for it, which is my point. It is silent and thus cannot have a name and so to call it anything is actually to abstract it into a concept which is potentially misleading, as you are probably aware...I would have written the same thing about Christ, or Buddha or any other name for the 'god-head' (yet another name). It is as it is. Perhaps Nisargadatta's term 'that' is probably the most adequate!

Anyway I would love to answer any questions. I love giving pointers to the unknown. It is an art, truly. For a pointer to be affective it must startling, like a Zen koan. It is difficult to startle people these days, what with the media being so dominant in our lives, with all its colours and special effects. But it is something all gurus, in my humble opinion, should aspire to do: to startle their students, not to massage them or make them feel relaxed but to actually startle them to shake them, perhaps even to offend them. As long as this reveals to them the mechanism in their head that is keeping them in suffering. For at the end of the day all this is about is achieving a modicum of peace of mind, isn't it? Any Advaita master knows that even the 'psychadelic' states associated with spiritual enlightenment and nonduality (I have had those too) are just temporary appearances in the ocean of awareness. Awareness cannot be experienced because it is the point of experience.

Now do get down to answering your questions. Apologies for the lateness but this site takes ages to verify my posts and my internet is awfully slow and keeps disconnecting.

Do you have this experience of Self ( some call Self-referral ) at all times? During wake-dream-sleep?

Up until recently no. In fact it was probably about 90 percent of my waking time and no time asleep. However recently I have become aware in my dreams (like lucid dreaming - very fun actually) and even when dozing I am totally awake. I once lay in bed with my eyes partially open and my whole body was asleep dozing if you will but I was still aware of everything going on. What this means I don't know but it's interesting.

- Do you think this is the final state? Do you think that more can unfold?

As for the discovery of my nature as awareness there is nothing more to add. That is instantaneous and something established permanently. It is a magnet to which your consciousness constantly returns settling in awareness, freeing you from suffering. What will happen to my mind, ego, body - I cannot say. My ego is certainly less insistent than it was before and often I cry intensely at very silly movies. Something I never used to do...is this compassion? I cannot say. Just another appearance in awareness though. Awareness itself is just emptiness, everything else is and will be transient. So I don't really know and at the same time I'm not overly bothered either!


What is your relationship with the environment ( code word for the Universe) around you?

Well since experiencing this truth about a year and half ago, the truth of awareness that is, there is less distance between myself and other objects and objects take on more interest, as if before they had been overlooked or neglected. I remember looking at my curtains (very drab and dull at first glance) and being amazed by them, the same thing happened recently with a crystal candle holder...it was strange. I kind of 'went into it' - it's difficult to talk about. It seemed to grow in my consciousness until I became it...weird.


Do you have the experience of ṛta ? Let me explain.
ṛtam ऋतम् + bharā भर+ prajñā प्रज्णा= ṛtam (luminous, insightful unalloyed, pure) + bharā ( bearing, bestowing, carrying) + pra (great) + jñā ( to know). One perceives only the Truth. Some call this unalloyed, unvarnished great truth and becomes a part of one's daily vision. This is the practical value of knowledge + experience.
Why do I ask about this ṛtam ? It suggests that only the truth comes to the person with this level of awareness. This suggests then that what is read is perfectly clear - hence various śāstra-s become clear and lively in one's awareness.

Oh yeah definitely, I'm pretty sure I can read any religious text and highlight the parts written by an enlightened person and cross out the parts written by an ego-bound person! :)

Keep up the questions my friend, I love answering them. I just hope they can help you find peace, if you haven't already that is! :)