Reddit reviews The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment
We found 17 Reddit comments about The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Used Book in Good Condition
You're going to get a lot of unhelpful responses to this question. This, for whatever reason, is a very touchy subject. It's also one that is very difficult to talk about, because talking about the experience of enlightenment actually doesn't quite make sense, because there are major issues defining something that cannot be defined, that goes beyond experience.
Also, in my experience, the more that "you" think you know something about this subject, the more likely you are to be deluded about it. Consequently, while you want to understand this thing intellectually, if anybody thinks they can explain it to you intellectually, it's bonk. This thing cannot be known.
I recommend you check out this book, which was recommended to me by one of our valued contributors here, /u/mrbundle. I found this book to be quite interesting and helpful.
Please don't ask me anymore. All I know is that I don't know shit.
> All of these weird things started at the same time, so I’m wondering if any of it can be accounted for by the awakening process.
Always see a doctor if you're concerned, but yes. Everything you're saying sounds very familiar to my own experience.
My own theory about it is that egoic mind takes up a lot of energy (or attention), so when that energy is freed up, it goes elsewhere. The body becomes more sensitive and open.
> I’m not tired when I wake up, but it’s still somehow unsatisfying.
I know exactly what you mean here, and can empathize. For me, a lot of that unsatisfactoriness was my mind not accepting the 'weirdness' of the situation. "I'm only getting 3 hours of sleep per night! This can't be healthy!" Etc.
Physically I felt fine, and the doctor confirmed I was very healthy. Eventually (after hearing Adyashanti talk about something similar) I quit mentally arguing with the reality of the situation, and accepted that even though things were a bit weird, they were find. Mind is used to our bodies being a certain way, and when that changes it takes a bit for mind to get onboard, in other words.
I can only speak to my own experience, but for me at one point it all just settled. I was getting ~3 hours of a sleep per night (and like you beautiful phrased, it felt more like a 'trance of being-ness'), weird physical sensations (including profuse sweating at night) and a whole lot of other stuff, then one day there was another 'shift' (not dissimilar to the awakening itself), and it was like a switch was turned off and a bunch of the 'weird' stuff disappeared (though others showed up, heh).
The yoga and healthiness are your friends. If your diet is really light, it may be helpful to introduce heavier, 'grounding' foods like beets, sweet potatoes, etc, but listen to your body here. Bodies are mysteriously wise, and know what they need - it's more a question of how much we can get out of the way.
All of that to say: you're not alone and what you're describing could certainly be related to the awakening.
If you haven't already, I'd strongly recommend reading Adyashanti's book The End of Your World. There's a lot of helpful info inside.
/r/awakened /r/streamentry
The buddhists know a lot about this subject, all religious doctrine aside the visuddhimagga is an in depth study of the mind, the self, and reality that's been written thousands of years ago. In summary, there really is no self. Humans are one of the only living creatures with a sense of self. Keyword sense. You can manipulate your sense of self through meditation by completely getting rid of it, or expanding it to everywhere around you, or back to the bounds of your body. Check out this book as well https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-World-Uncensored-Enlightenment/dp/1591797799
Unfortunately, science is barely catching up with what these guys have discovered and a lot of the terminology used is in another language. So it may come across as woo woo and new agey spiritual stuff but I would take a look at it and see for yourself.
EDIT: Also if you really look at yourself in the mirror for 10 to 15 minutes and try to find out where "you" are localized in space whether you think it's the eyes, the whole body, behind the eyes, or inside the brain, some very strange things will happen. No other species on this planet can tell that what they're seeing in a mirror is themselves.
SCIENCE: https://youtu.be/QeNmydIk8Yo?t=1190
Hi Porkgreen,
It sounds like you're having an awakening. Strap in, buckle up, and take some deep breaths, but I can assure you that in the end everything will be just fine.
There are basically three levels on which things begin to restructure themselves such that your whole being is brought more into alignment with the truth of things. And when things are changing on all these levels it can feel quite disorienting. The three levels are the physio-energetic (aka the body, aka traditional kundalini), your external life (job, relationships, etc.), and your internal life (your sense of who and what you are).
When people begin to awaken, there are two main reasons they suffer. First, awakening brings phases of great change which most have a tendency to resist at least initially. Resisting 'What Is' will always bring suffering. Thus it's important to learn to surrender to, and trust in what is happening. You will need to meet your experience as it arises and learn to open to it, however it may reveal itself.
The second main reason people suffer during an awakening is that they feel disoriented as identities and external circumstances begins to change/fall away because they do not have a conceptual framework for understanding what is happening. This is where spiritual teachings can be helpful. A good teacher, even if a personal relationship isn't possible is extremely helpful. I recommend this book, and in general the Non-dual teachings of Adyashanti. He won't steer you wrong.
Weird energetic phenomena (pressure, vibrations, tingling, etc) and visions are normal. The important point here is not to indulge in them too much, and don't believe them (the visions especially). But if they arise, allow them to happen and just witness what is going on without believing or identifying with them.
If you live among close minded people, it may not be necessary to tell them about kundalini. However, act how you feel you should. Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions.
These two are good for all levels: A book on the Tao, A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are by Byron Katie. For using journaling to support meditation: Quiet Mind, Open Heart. Lots of thought provoking questions, as well as meditation practices.
For people who have practiced a while: The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment. It can really help give direction beyond basics.
>He told me that he has never felt more calm and happy. [...] He says he is having an insight that no one else can possibly imagine because he says it scares them.
I've experienced just that. He will most likely come out of it. Like kirkirus said, just give him time to sort things out and he'll become more responsive.
Whatever he's thinking about, tell him that he is most likely not alone. Human beings in all cultures have spent months contemplating in isolation, and a lot of them have used psychedelic substances.
I would actually be very interested in hearing what your friend has to say. But well! Let him rest, and make sure to tell him you love him! Best of luck.
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Also, The End of Your World by Adyashanti may be useful to him, or even to you! And perhaps this television series by Alan Watts for a different cultural context.
I applaud you at your patience. You're not attacking, and appearing to stay very calm in your writings.
> I feel like you are not really addressing what I am talking about, and what you are saying doesn't help me understand this subject any better. So, let me give an example. You're living in village and group of men are outside wielding weapons. You know who they are, and you know that their plan is to kill, rape, and kidnap everyone they can (very common historical event). Let's say you have someway to stop this from happening, but it involves fighting. Do you fight, or do you just allow them to come in and commit atrocities to the ones you love?
This is what the Dali Lama did with Tibet. He allowed them to come in, and commit atrocities to the ones he loved. 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the country's population, died as a result of China's attack; many more languished in prisons and labor camps; and more than 6000 monasteries, temples and other cultural and historic buildings were destroyed and their contents pillaged. The Dali Lama knew that violence wasn't the answer. God doesn't attack others, he only loves them. Jesus doesn't see attack, EVER, he only sees cries for love. It's the Ego that sees attack, loss, death, suffering, sacrifice. NONE of these things are attributes of God. You're either walking towards the light, or keeping yourself in the dark.
The root issue is that you don't realize you are God himself, dreaming all of this. That IS the root issue which I was trying to address. Of course God's dreams would be "this real". God can pretend to do anything he wants to, including, being you. He isn't really you, he is God, he's only pretending to be a "you" in illusion.
When you go to the movies, you forget yourself. You get lost in the movie, the darkness of the theater. You don't sit there saying "I am me, I am me, I am me" the whole time you watch the movie. The whole point is that you get lost in it. This is what God is doing. He's given himself amnesia, forgetting himself, so that he can be fully immersed in his own illusion, his own movie. He wrote the whole script, he plays every part. Since you are him, it's really you that are doing all of this. Making the entire universe, playing every part, every person, every animal, every rock.
You list common historical events, and scenarios, but these things are likely not happening to YOU personally. Someone else in this thread said the same, you have to look in the 2 foot space around you. The ego plays tricks on you. If you see all of this as illusion, and you've personally never starved to death, was murdered, or killed, then how do you know it's not all a trick just to make yourself scared? I don't even mean your friend was killed, or your mother was attacked physically. I mean, have YOU been stabbed with a knife? You personally? Was it your DIRECT experience? What if it's all a trick, and the "really bad things" don't really exist, it's all a show of trick and light? Can you prove otherwise? If you did suffer some in your life, was it not just thoughts you were experiencing? "This is bad...(more thoughts) this is so bad...". This goes DEEP. You can't prove there is actually someone "else" inside any person you see. Sure, the "forms" act like they are alive, they are dancing around and showing what appears to be emotion, but because you CAN NOT experience the inside of another form you see, another BODY, you can't prove that there is anything going on in there. It could be shells of people walking around. It COULD all be a light projection from YOUR own mind. You create the world you WANT TO SEE. Perception is not real.
The ego will have GREAT resistance to this. It's likely saying that this is all crazy talk. That's it's job. If you see beyond the veil, it will burn up your entire world. Jed Mckenna wrote a great book about this here: http://www.reddit.com/r/enlightenment/top/
When your world does end, you can read Adyashanti's wonderfully helpful book here. Titled: The End of Your World
> Besides, if ACIM teaches that it is all an illusion and there is no punishment from sin, why not protect the innocent from torture and abuse?
Because there is no one else out there, it's only you. There is no one to protect. If someone did come into your house, and attack YOU personally, it would be you only doing it to yourself. It's up to you how you want to handle yourself. You can love yourself, or you can attack yourself back. What happens physically is meaningless, because illusions don't have meaning (Lesson 1). How you choose to see a situation, as LOVE or MURDER is up to you. God always chooses Love without question, the Ego always chooses Murder without question.
> I'm very passionate about my spiritual and intellectual journey, but I worry that aspects of ACIM negate critical thought.
God does not need thought. God is infinite. Thought is limiting. We use thoughts to POINT beyond illusion and that's about it at best. Thought itself is what created this whole mess to begin with. Critical thinking IS the Ego. We want to move to the infinite intelligence that's beyond Thought. The place where thoughts come FROM. You seem to think that you pick your thoughts. You absolutely do not. You do not go into a library of billions of thoughts, and say "I want THAT one next". You merely sit there and one appears. Then another thought appears, then another. It's the ego that possesses us and says "I am these thoughts". You are none of them. At best you can say you are the awareness in which thoughts appear. This Eckhart Tolle video which is his book The Power Of Now, explains this excellently.
From ACIM Workbook Lesson 10: http://acimsearch.org/workbook-for-students/wb-010/
> “My thoughts do not mean anything.”
> This idea applies to all the thoughts of which you are aware, or become aware in the practice periods. The reason the idea is applicable to all of them is that they are not your real thoughts. We have made this distinction before, and will again.You have no basis for comparison as yet. When you do, you will have no doubt that what you once believed were your thoughts did not mean anything.
If you really want to wake up, and aren't just playing games with yourself, do the workbook lessons, and ask the holy spirit for help (for real, out loud, even if you feel silly).
Finally, thank you Brother, (or Sister) for your genuine questions and well written responses. I can only learn as I teach for they happen simultaneously. I'm grateful for this interaction.
Here's a book I wish I'd have found when I had my first experience like yours...
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Enjoy the journey my friend.
Please read this book, it will help you a lot: https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-World-Uncensored-Enlightenment/dp/1591797799. It's basically written for you - you will relate, just like I did.
What I learned from it is what you're experiencing is normal - he says most people lose it before they gain it for good. And even then it's somewhat possible to lose it haha. What he says is it's all part of the process, it's important not to fight it, not to resist it, because the more you fight something the more you get of it.
I don't feel I'm gonna lose it, but I could be wrong and I don't much care either way. I was already pretty happy before it happened through openness and honesty. I had 1.5 years of the worst depression in my life before I learned to be happy. I'm not in a position to give advice (I feel like a newborn), but if I was forced to, I'd say: don't sweat over it, "sweating" is what ego does best, don't give it that power.
As for me, I meditate every day for 20-30 minutes because I find it enjoyable and I like the process of quieting my mind. I am also going to Vipassana in about a month. Mostly I plan to just chill and unfold with the flow. I distinctly feel that the fear of losing it is counter-productive. It's all ego talking.
Theres a book called the end of your world by Adyashanti which addresses what to do next after an 'awakening experience', and how to work with what you've learnt and try to make it permanent.
You could start at the end.
Adyashanti - The End of Your World
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-World-Uncensored-Enlightenment/dp/1591797799
You might be interested in reading Adyashanti's The End of Your World. He addresses this pretty directly
Sorry! Forgot to reply, was on the go when I read this.
I haven't read much, in truth. I'm a musician, so sound is my thing. I've listened to probably over 500 lectures/audio recordings by Alan Watts and Adyashanti over the past year. Those two changed my life and opened my mind, allowing me to begin the process of becoming the real me. I'll leave you a few that really, really helped me. In terms of books, though:
https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Insecurity-Message-Age-Anxiety/dp/0307741206/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HD4HJV4XGZMFYQQ8YHYY
https://www.amazon.com/Become-What-You-Alan-Watts/dp/1570629404/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HD4HJV4XGZMFYQQ8YHYY
https://www.amazon.com/True-Meditation-Discover-Freedom-Awareness/dp/1591794676/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493318617&sr=1-1&keywords=adyashanti+true+meditation
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-World-Uncensored-Enlightenment/dp/1591797799/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1591797799&pd_rd_r=NTAKM081ZBWQN84XRDF5&pd_rd_w=GbrQB&pd_rd_wg=4ikC1&psc=1&refRID=NTAKM081ZBWQN84XRDF5
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493318650&sr=1-1&keywords=eckhart+tolle+the+power+of+now
http://www.lawofone.info/
Now, below I will list a few audio recordings that I absolutely love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ4_75nT6_M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om1hJX4JN8U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESVoQzOhZNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbbCkdrAdeI
Oh wow. As to specific books. Hmm. That's sort of all over the place but each one had something to offer. The ones I remember are:
Books on my list to read:
I have also dabbled in the study of Zen and a few types of Buddhism, Tao, other Eastern Religions and philosophies as well as some Western religions, ho'oponopono, mindfulness and reiki.
Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle have some good techniques for separating yourself from your ego.
In a sense, enlightenment is not in your hands at all. In another, equally true sense, you really can beckon the solution.
The best advice I have found for people trying to beckon the solution is to work in cycles. You need to know spiritual truths - that desire breeds anger, that life without attachment to worldly things is better than life bound to the ups and downs of the world - in every cell of your body. You need to know them with your heart, with your stomach, with your intellect, with your emotions. This means, read spiritual works and meditate like it was the last thing on earth you could do. But then go out and live them, get your hands dirty on life, let those ideas really digest, let them sink in deeply. Figure things out through experience, through seeing things as they really are. Then go back and meditate more, read more, see what new truths are uncovered through this cyclical learning process.
Clearing your mind of these false notions of salvation/happiness creates an incredible amount of space. In this space of non-grasping, of not-doing, clarity is born. Clarity is the means and the end of the spiritual path. You see life as it really is. With true clarity, there is no hope or fear at all. Clarity turns into transcendent knowledge; knowledge without words, without the limits of language, without reason. Silent knowledge composed of pure certainties. One day you will feel a click.
If you want to study some beautiful, simple, universal (as in, it isn't dogma) eastern philosophy, check out the Bhagavad Gita. It is as close to perfection of the path to self-knowledge as I have found.
We see Arjuna on the battlefield, this impressive warrior, bent, burdened, eyes glistening, pleading for the meaning of life.
Krishna, totally calm, responds in effect, "Oh, you really want to know?"
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bhagavad-Gita-Walkthrough-Westerners/dp/1608680142
Another good book at the beginning/middle of the path is The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. He frames the awake state in a very persuasive, intuitive manner: as an alternative to the mind's insistence of living in the past or the future. It shows you the power of clarity, of living fully in the present moment.
If you are far on the path already, then I suggest these two books to help fine-tune your search:
http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Your-World-Enlightenment/dp/1591797799
http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Spiritual-Materialism-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1570629579/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412001113&sr=1-1&keywords=cutting+through+spiritual+materialism+by+chogyam+trungpa
Good luck/shoot me a PM if you have questions
ps: tripping can be a tool, but it is limited. any realizations you have under the influence of psychedelics, you will have to re-realize while sober. sometimes this is incredibly easy, but sometimes not so much. if you depend too much on them, the realizations while on drugs will never be there when you really need them. think of psychedelics as "advance scouts" into your consciousness - showing you what level of clarity is possible if you keep on this path, showing you what silent knowledge feels like. they don't give you that level of clarity, but they show you that it is possible, and give you faith and determination to see it become your natural state.