Enlightenment: The Ego, what is it? How to transcend it.

[greybeard]

One of the reasons I have resumed posting is that we live in exciting times
On the one hand there is a belief in non duality --Advaita --one without a second and on the other hand there seems to be the possibility in the illusion --Maya of the latgerst increase in human consciousness ever.
Certainly the forecasts of Edgar Cayce and Dolores Cannon seem to be cominng true --
Akso Sumerian tablets point to massive change as well
Are the two beliefs that i hold compatible ?

I kmow nothing

Love Chris

[greybeard]

The potential of the human race --Gregg Braden

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3Zw-fAVO2Q4

[greybeard]

Gregg Braden Shares the Deep Truth About Humanity’s Future

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lIV_N6xbIeo

[gini]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=U8ZJ8etb4SY

-25 Jun 2026
In loving memory of our dear friend, Dr. Robert Thurman, Dakota shares a recent interview with him in which they explore the bardos and the joyful wisdom of seeing all beings as a Buddha.

You can help continue Dr. Thurman’s life’s work to preserve Tibetan culture. Visit Tibet House's website to learn more.

In this insightful & heart-opening episode, Dakota and Robert Thurman explore:
How the Romans twisted the teachings of Jesus
Becoming Jesus and doing something really good ourselves
The connection between psychedelics and the bardos
The healing that comes after collapse
Adoring all things just as they are
Choosing love just as Ram Dass did
Feeling the spark of bliss and connection
Art as a spiritual practice
Taking responsibility for our next lives
Life-long learning as the highest spiritual practice

“We have allowed the more heavily diluted people to take over and spread their misery over all of us. It will collapse, and we’ll heal them by taking away their power and letting them turn their attention to healing themselves.” —Dr. Robert Thurman

About Dr. Robert Thurman:
Robert Thurman (1941-2026) was an American Buddhist author and academic who wrote, edited, and translated many books on Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, before retiring in June 2019. He held the first endowed chair in Buddhist Studies in the West. After education at Philips Exeter and Harvard, he studied Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism for almost thirty years as a personal student of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He wrote both scholarly and popular books and lectured widely all over the world. As President of the American Institute for Buddhist Studies, he convened the First Inner Science Conference with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Amherst College in 1984. He was also a founding trustee of Tibet House New York. Check out his most recent book Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life.

[greybeard]

Allways good to see your interesting posts gini
Love Chris

[greybeard]

What if you are God pretending to be human ---Allan Watts

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=FoN2duPT1gk

[greybeard]

Top QUANTUM Physicist PROVES: NEW Theory of Consciousness (Spirituality FINALLY Merged!)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sqGhCDqIjL8

[gini]

´Why Didn't Nisargadatta Maharaj Agree with Ramana Maharshi when he said THIS... ´

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=agdk2mZrw-c

. --15 min--18/7/26--´Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj are widely regarded as two of the greatest Advaita teachers of the modern era. Although they never met, their teachings have inspired millions around the world and continue to guide seekers toward direct realization.

Most people assume they taught exactly the same thing.

But there was one surprising point where Nisargadatta openly disagreed with Ramana Maharshi.

In this video, we explore:

• The fascinating differences between their lives and personalities
• How each of them awakened in completely different ways
• Why their teachings ultimately point to the same realization
• The remarkable story of Maurice Frydman—the man who became the bridge between these two masters
• The one teaching Nisargadatta said he could not confirm from his own experience
• A beautiful story revealing the profound respect Nisargadatta had for Ramana Maharshi

Whether you're new to non-duality or have studied Advaita Vedanta for years, this story reveals something profound about direct experience, self-inquiry, and the search for truth.´

[greybeard]

Why Didn't Nisargadatta Maharaj Agree with Ramana Maharshi when he said THIS...

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=agdk2mZrw-c

Love Chris

[RunningDeer]

Posted by greybeard (here)
Why Didn't Nisargadatta Maharaj Agree with Ramana Maharshi when he said THIS...

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=agdk2mZrw-c

Love Chris

Hello and thank you, Chris.

Love, Paula

[gini]

´Who Is Thinking Your Thoughts? | Ashtavakra Gita's Most Powerful Teaching´--

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=NsFI9Pqr1VA

--13 min--Jul 18, 2026 #AshtavakraGita #Consciousness #AdvaitaVedanta
What if every thought you've ever called "my thought" was never truly yours?

For centuries, human beings have believed that they are the thinkers behind their thoughts. But in this profound dialogue from the wisdom of Advaita Vedanta, the sage Ashtavakra challenges King Janaka with a question that changes everything:

"Can you find the thinker apart from the thought that claims to be thinking?"

Through deep inquiry, Janaka discovers a truth hidden beyond thoughts, emotions, memories, and even the sense of "I".

In this cinematic journey inspired by the timeless teachings of the Ashtavakra Gita, explore:

✦ Why thoughts arise on their own
✦ The illusion of the separate thinker
✦ Why controlling the mind never brings lasting peace
✦ The difference between awareness and thought
✦ The ancient path to inner freedom

This is not merely philosophy—it is an invitation to investigate your own experience.

The next time a thought appears, pause and ask:

"Did I choose this thought before it appeared?"

And then ask:

"Who is the thinker?"

🕉️ Inspired by the wisdom of Advaita Vedanta and the Ashtavakra Gita.

[ThePythonicCow]

Posted by gini (here)
Through deep inquiry, Janaka discovers a truth hidden beyond ...

Ask not the hiders to show you what they have hidden ... their hiding is layered, like Russian matryoshka dolls.

It's turtles, all the way down.

[greybeard]

Why Worry? Why Fret? Why Not Enjoy the Play? | Robert Adams

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JtE8i8AK_7Y

[RunningDeer]

Posted by greybeard (here)
Why Worry? Why Fret? Why Not Enjoy the Play? | Robert Adams

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JtE8i8AK_7Y

"The only difference between you and an awakened person is that you figure the part you're playing is real."

Just be yourself, don't put on an act of being holy or spiritual, and don't let the play carry you away.

Robert Adams recreated opening talk from one of his satsangs of the early 1990s. He speaks on consciousness as the silence, why nothing in your life has ever been wrong, quieting the mind, and embracing the part you have been given in the play of life.

• Robert Adams (1928-1997) was an American teacher of Advaita Vedanta and a devotee of Ramana Maharshi.

00:00 Welcome
00:10 Looking for happiness is the mistake
00:54 You're already awake
03:13 Only consciousness is real
04:25 Nobody is doing anything
06:54 You and the Sage
08:21 Centered in the here and now
10:02 Your thinking shapes your world
11:02 Quieting the mind
12:26 Surrender everything
13:31 Realize the dream and wake up
14:06 The part you're playing
17:30 Sages in ordinary life
18:49 Seeing everything as God

[greybeard]

Posted by RunningDeer (here)

Posted by greybeard (here)
Why Worry? Why Fret? Why Not Enjoy the Play? | Robert Adams

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JtE8i8AK_7Y

"The only difference between you and an awakened person is that you figure the part you're playing is real."

Just be yourself, don't put on an act of being holy or spiritual, and don't let the play carry you away.

Robert Adams recreated opening talk from one of his satsangs of the early 1990s. He speaks on consciousness as the silence, why nothing in your life has ever been wrong, quieting the mind, and embracing the part you have been given in the play of life.

• Robert Adams (1928-1997) was an American teacher of Advaita Vedanta and a devotee of Ramana Maharshi.

00:00 Welcome
00:10 Looking for happiness is the mistake
00:54 You're already awake
03:13 Only consciousness is real
04:25 Nobody is doing anything
06:54 You and the Sage
08:21 Centered in the here and now
10:02 Your thinking shapes your world
11:02 Quieting the mind
12:26 Surrender everything
13:31 Realize the dream and wake up
14:06 The part you're playing
17:30 Sages in ordinary life
18:49 Seeing everything as God

Thanks for this Running Deer
I have a challenge typing --eyesight -- so it it is refreshing to get a video with the content itemisesd
Love Chris

[RunningDeer]

Posted by greybeard (here)
Thanks for this Running Deer
I have a challenge typing --eyesight -- so it it is refreshing to get a video with the content itemisesd
Love Chris

You’re welcome, Chris.

I ran the transcript from your video through AI with a question that came up for me while listening: ”How can direct experience be achieved?” If you're okay with it, I’ll add my thoughts, followed by the AI summary and notes:

It's been a while since I've consciously devoted myself to the practices taught by Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj. I'm re-reading, "I AM That". I find the practice more challenging, and notice how easily my attention wanders.

Recently, I've been returning to them with greater intention, yet I seem to struggle more now than I did twenty years ago. Perhaps it's because I'm more aware of my own shortcomings than I was then. Or perhaps I've allowed too much of the noise and nonsense of the outside world consume me.

***************

Provided by AI:

”Both teachers repeatedly emphasized that direct experience cannot be borrowed. Reading books, listening to talks, or accepting someone else's conclusions may be helpful, but they are considered pointers rather than the realization itself.”

”Different methods ultimately direct seekers toward the same recognition of their true nature through direct personal experience rather than belief.”

***************

In the context of Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj, direct experience means recognizing your own awareness or sense of being without relying on concepts, beliefs, or secondhand descriptions. It is not about acquiring a new experience but investigating the nature of your present experience.

Although their methods differ slightly, both emphasize observation rather than belief.

Ramana Maharshi's approach: Self-inquiry

Ramana's method centers on the question:

• "Who am I?"

The question is not meant to be answered intellectually. Instead:

1. Notice a thought, emotion, or sensation arise.
2. Ask, "To whom has this appeared?"
3. The immediate answer is usually, "To me."
4. Then ask, "Who is this 'me'?"

Rather than thinking about the answer, direct attention toward the one who is aware.

The aim is to see whether the separate "I" that seems to own thoughts and experiences can actually be found.

Nisargadatta Maharaj's approach: Abide in "I am"

Nisargadatta's instruction is simpler in wording but equally demanding:

Remain with the sense "I am."
This means:

• Before thinking, "I am a teacher," "I am happy," or "I am tired,"
• Notice the bare feeling that you exist.
• Rest attention there without adding descriptions or stories.

Whenever the mind wanders into memories, plans, or identities, gently return to the simple fact of being.

What "direct experience" looks like

From these traditions, direct experience is not necessarily a dramatic mystical event. It can be as simple as noticing:

• Thoughts come and go.
• Emotions come and go.
• Sensations come and go.
• Yet there is an awareness in which all of these appear.

The investigation is into that awareness itself, rather than its contents.

***************

A simple exercise

You can try this for a few minutes:

1. Sit comfortably without trying to achieve a special state.
2. Notice whatever is present—sounds, sensations, thoughts.
3. Ask silently:
"What knows this experience?"
4. Don't search for a verbal answer.
5. Simply observe the awareness in which everything appears.
6. If thoughts arise, notice them and return to the observation.

Alternatively, following Nisargadatta:

1. Close your eyes.
2. Notice only the undeniable fact:
"I exist."
3. Don't complete the sentence ("I am a...").
4. Rest with the simple sense of being.

***************

An important point

Both teachers repeatedly emphasized that direct experience cannot be borrowed. Reading books, listening to talks, or accepting someone else's conclusions may be helpful, but they are considered pointers rather than the realization itself.

Whether one interprets the result as discovering the true Self (Ramana's language) or recognizing pure awareness beyond personal identity (Nisargadatta's language) depends on the philosophical framework one adopts. What both encourage is careful examination of immediate experience rather than relying solely on belief.

From a broader perspective, it's also worth recognizing that different traditions—and cognitive science—interpret these experiences differently. A practitioner may regard them as realization of ultimate reality, while a psychologist might describe them as shifts in attention, self-representation, or consciousness. The experience itself can be meaningful regardless of which interpretation one finds most convincing.

Posted by greybeard (here)
Why Didn't Nisargadatta Maharaj Agree with Ramana Maharshi when he said THIS...

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=agdk2mZrw-c

Love Chris

[greybeard]

Three Cycles Are Converging Right Now and Our Ancestors Knew | Gregg Braden

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=SAYzjqgIPbs