The Gate

Hi Elad,

I only saw your answer now as I haven't received the notification about it - I guess that might be due to the website issues.

Here is a question: Does this insight make you feel more intimate and compassionate with life and others (conventionally speaking others) or less?

If the answer is not readily available, pay attention to this as you go about your day, and then let me know what is observed.

I will pay attention to this as I go through today and send you an answer later.

Yes, it's generally a good idea to check and not assume the system works properly lately.

Here is a question: Does this insight make you feel more intimate and compassionate with life and others (conventionally speaking others) or less?

If the answer is not readily available, pay attention to this as you go about your day, and then let me know what is observed.

When the insight is seen and no-self and no-separation are felt into and are more present in awareness, there is a natural sense of joy and love and compassion indeed that arises for life in general and the beings in it. In the moments, however, when that insight is forgotten about or simply not in the forefront that sense of compassion and ease is gone with it as well.

Yes. All kinds of states and habits continue to unfold. There is just opportunity to see through unhelpful beliefs now. Here is a good video about that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJQcD588g2w

I will now let other guides read your responses, we will see if they have further questions or pointers. I'll get back again within a couple of days max.

3 other guides looked at your answers and had no further questions, meaning you have officially "graduated" LU. How are things? How do you feel? Write me about it with full honesty, and we can look together how to move from here.

Hi Elad,

3 other guides looked at your answers and had no further questions, meaning you have officially "graduated" LU. How are things? How do you feel? Write me about it with full honesty, and we can look together how to move from here.

Thank you for all the guidance and pointers and wisdom you shared with me along the process. I feel very blessed to have had such a wonderful guide in you.

Things are unfolding beautifully on this end. I have combined direct inquiry into no-self with my jhana practice and that at points has really revealed further depths of non-separateness. And at the same time, I am conscious that this will remain to be a fluctuating process of expansion and contraction. That the insight will be more present and pronounced and “lived” at certain times, and less so at other times. For the upcoming period, I would like to observe that non-judgmentally, and maybe pay attention to the conditions that give rise to more contraction and forgetfulness compared to more openness and awareness of non-separation.

Are there perhaps any tips you could share for the upcoming period?

Sounds perfect Ditti.

Exactly that, and, if the thought comes that a real belief in separate self has re-established, look into it. What is believed to be a self? Without trying to make it go away, just see it as clear as possible, then check if it is a self, or what is it in direct experience...


Beside this here are some resources/places to connect you might explore along the way:


Here is a list of resources, ways to explore and connect:

1)

Three weekly free zoom meetings which offer a space to listen, share and offer guidance around awakening, as and if the inclination arises, with friend and fellow guide Vince Schubert. Please contact Vince Schubert via email: vinceschubert@gmail.com for a link and schedule. Or check his web page https://1ness.info/

2)

Simply Awake app - Free app for your phone that contains dozens of meditation that will help you to keep looking deeper.

Also a great video from Angelo Dilullo on this process and how it deepens on its own, if not resisted, YouTube: Simply Always Awake "Self and No-Self":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X_Xpd10pV0&t=38s


3)


If you're interested in the 10 fetters Buddhist model (what we did here pertains to the first 3) go to Kevin Shanilek's website for information:

https://simplytheseen.com/

Also a good video conversation with Ilona and Kevin Shanilek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xWfBHN6oRk


-------


Todd and Pernille Lent Damore offer many videos on each fetter, from a different, more psychologically minded approach, on their YouTube Channels:

Unfettered Mindfulness and The Awakening Curriculum

--------


Some people like Kevins approach more, some like theirs, some both in different ways.... In continuation of Kevins approach there is also Christiane Michelbergers "Finding Awakening" community on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Av8vfhMct/

And Craig's Fetterfree group, free of charge weekly meetings exploring fetters mainly in Kevins approach:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/715430672860996


4)

POK Perfectly Okay.Org:

https://perfectlyokay.org/ - A large, free of charge, supportive awakening community that has many different modalities and meetings, generally free of charge.

Every second Wednesday Becca (another LU guide and friend) and I hold free of charge meetings there for people who work with other people, as guides, or in processes that might combine awakening and therapy or healing.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1112255896719535

Speaking of that, once this settles some, you might want to guide in LU. Guiding also guides us - can bring up blind spots and areas where we might benefit from looking freshly. I mentor new guides in LU and could mentor you if you want to embark on guiding at some point.


5)

Becca and I also have a weekly sangha called Awake Collective. It is relatively new and it seems focused on very raw and honest exchanges, energetic aspects of aweakening process, and shadow work, in a context where some people have seen through seperate self and some have not, but everybody have a lot to contribute have done a fair amount of shadow work and/or inquiry, waking up and growing up processes.... This group has a members fee, but anyone who sincerely wanna be a part can, no matter what their economic situation is.


6)

Finally Ilona Cuinaite who was one of the founders of LU has I believe monthly meetings. https://ilonaciunaite.com/


------


Stay in touch Amy! Happy to hear how things continue to unfold for you... Feel free to write me here or to my email with questions, updates, anything :)

It was beautiful to do this process with you - thank you!

Love,
Elad

There was a contraction here when I saw that I wrote Amy 🙃 And no one made it happen. Over and out :)

Hi Elad,

Wonderful, thank you so much for all your guidance and for sharing this extensive list of resources. I will let things unfold and settle a bit and see what further explorations / directions feel needed thereafter.

Sending you lots of love.

🍃🤍