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deff
just love everyone



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Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness
#21910668 - 07/07/15 05:14 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I came across this list of characteristics of awakened consciousness from this website (it's the site from the author of The Multidimensional Man, a book c0sm0 had recommended a while back that I'm reading now and really enjoying )
I thought the list was quite good and appropriate, and I feel that it does a good job at demystifying and normalizing the experience of awakening. What do you think?
Quote:
Key characteristic of an awakened consciousness.
• Attention is focused on the present moment. • Enhanced sense of reality and increased discriminatory powers. • Persistent feeling of being “Home”, regardless of where we are. • Enhanced aesthetic appreciation • Spontaneous peak experiences in everyday life • Enhanced empathy with fellow men • Nonjudgemental attitude. • Increased creativity and joy in engagements which benefit others. • Awareness of a benevolent presence, which may be referred to as “God”, “Higher Self”, “Guide”, “Guardian Angel” or simply the presence of a universal consciousness. • No fear of death. • Detachment from conflicts and enhanced modes of dealing with them. • Dreams are more coherent and often lucid • Lack of attachment • A feeling of Sovereignty over ones life and destiny • Indifference towards roles in society, such as status, acclaim, fame, position, wealth etc • Authentic, accessible, benevolent, empathic, sense of humour, tolerant, perceptive, wise • Purposeful and rewarding relationships without attachments or dependency • Perception that every moment is new. Reality is not seen as repetition even though apparent repetitive events occur. • Disinterest in psychic abilities although they may arise • Disinterest in following a “spiritual” path • Regarding dream life as important as waking life and visa versa. • Modest and content with the ordinary • Impartial, detached, peaceful, objective • Ability to adapt and experience any viewpoint from the viewers perspective. • Not considering themselves as enlightened
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Jufin


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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff] 1
#21910691 - 07/07/15 05:19 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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That's a cool and inspiring list. I lot of those I feel when on a natural high, and my goal is to feel them consistently.
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eve69
--=..Did Adam and ...?=--



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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Jufin] 1
#21910902 - 07/07/15 06:02 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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painting by numbers
-------------------- ...or something
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MarkostheGnostic
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff] 1
#21912880 - 07/08/15 12:25 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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If you are not familiar with William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience (which these categories reminded me of) by all means pick up a copy of this 1902 classic! Not only will you see that these categories are likely derivative of The Varieties to a certain extent, but his writing about a failed Peyote experiment and his metaphysical revelations on Nitrous oxide are still wonderful.
-------------------- γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself
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circastes
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
#21913615 - 07/08/15 06:21 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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-------------------- My solitude... My shield... My armour... TESTED WITH FULL FORCE
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pwnzer
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: circastes]
#21927563 - 07/11/15 06:08 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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c0sm0nautt

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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff] 1
#21927664 - 07/11/15 07:04 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Glad you are enjoying that book deff, to this day it is still one of my favorites.
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PocketLady



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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: c0sm0nautt] 1
#21927930 - 07/11/15 08:45 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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That's an interesting read Deff . I like the last one in particular. Alarm bells always start ringing when people start professing how enlightened they are.
-------------------- Love is from the infinite, and will remain until eternity. The seeker of love escapes the chains of birth and death. Tomorrow, when resurrection comes, The heart that is not in love will fail the test. ~ Rumi The day we start giving Love instead of seeking Love, we will have re-written our whole destiny. ~ Swami Chinmayanada Saraswatir
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c0sm0nautt

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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: PocketLady] 1
#21927972 - 07/11/15 08:58 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Good little blurb from the site:
Quote:
The Loss of Ego Identification
There are many ways to loosen the grip of our egos. One very effective way is by nurturing a feeling of unconditional love or surrendering to the stillness of the moment. The mind can never harbour two feelings or two thoughts simultaneously so we are free to make a decision. By focusing attention on unconditional love, our preoccupation with our inner drama will quite simply dissolve because it no longer receives the life blood of our attention. With meditation and practice we will cease to be the involuntary participants of our internal dialogue, the idle chatter of our thoughts and their obsession to pay homage to our past and irrational concerns for the future.
Attention focused on unconditional love is one way to free us to embrace the present and harvest its rich fruits which can be found in the stillness of the moment. Though there are many other ways and it is up to the individual to pick out the most suitable path which suits the individual’s temperament. To suggest a practice is beyond the scope of this website. The reason I picked on unconditional love is that to me it best expresses what it feels like to live in an awakened state. Others may choose “surrender” or “appreciation”, the key point is our attitude which draws attention away from thought
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deff
just love everyone



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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#21928009 - 07/11/15 09:07 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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yeah I really liked and agreed with that part about unconditional love being a means of awakening the book is quite good as well !
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Chronic7
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21932334 - 07/12/15 07:05 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I don't usually agree with lists of prerequisites or descriptions of what being awakened means, in my view it should be limitless... but i do agree with all of those points 
I'm all for normalizing it, it's really the most original natural normal state there is, but demystifying? never that! 
Thanks for sharing deff
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Chronic7]
#21932524 - 07/12/15 08:43 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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yeah i'm not usually too fond of most spiritual lists either this one i liked though
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Ajahn Don
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21932717 - 07/12/15 10:08 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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There is only one consistent way I've found--vipassana, or mindfulness meditation. I was a monk.
PS--The last one is wrong. If you are truly awakened, then you know it. The self is long gone.
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Ajahn Don]
#21932901 - 07/12/15 10:58 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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i agree with you in that i think an enlightened/awakened being would be able to recognize that indeed they are awakened (by their own criteria). however, i don't think they would have the desire to make other people aware of that fact
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#21932946 - 07/12/15 11:07 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said: Glad you are enjoying that book deff, to this day it is still one of my favorites.
oh btw c0sm0... he's coming out with a sequel in a couple months called 'Vistas of Infinity'
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Ajahn Don
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21933108 - 07/12/15 11:42 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
deff said: i agree with you in that i think an enlightened/awakened being would be able to recognize that indeed they are awakened (by their own criteria). however, i don't think they would have the desire to make other people aware of that fact 
That would be the conventional wisdom, even Buddhist wisdom. The difference is whether it causes suffering or not. Bragging about something causes suffering. It is not helpful. Seeing reality without any judgmental thoughts does not cause suffering. Awareness isn't an either or thing. Awareness through vipassana practice is very gradual in coming on, becomes better with practice, and can result in being constantly present in the moment, aware, non-judgmental--which means that you don't with something we better or not as bad. It just is.
The problem I have with that list isn't on the list. HOW? How does one gain all these wonderful qualities? Not happening if one isn't willing to do the work, and first, that means sitting. If one isn't able to spend 20 minutes a day following the breath, then all those wonderful things like awareness are just wishes.
That would be the Truth, as I've experienced it.
Don
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Ajahn Don]
#21933169 - 07/12/15 11:55 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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yes I agree that the methods to achieve such an awakening are of great importance of course there are many such methods, just as there are many traditions that are designed to elicit realization.
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Ajahn Don
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21933299 - 07/12/15 12:25 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
deff said: yes I agree that the methods to achieve such an awakening are of great importance of course there are many such methods, just as there are many traditions that are designed to elicit realization.
I agree with this as well, but those all require stopping. A quiet mind is hard to achieve without sitting. Hell, it's hard to achieve on the cushion. Without this, everything else is bumping into shit.
Donnie
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Ajahn Don]
#21933362 - 07/12/15 12:39 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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yes, sitting meditation is quite valuable for sure
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lessismore
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21933405 - 07/12/15 12:49 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Namaste / peace / love / unity ;-)
yup it's very well written, an awakened individual tries to guide people to awaken because people is him/herself
it's especially important to know that any enlightenment is only temporary, an awakened person can be asleep next moment again
learning acceptance is a lifelong path, noone gets there fully
thinking one is enlightened is one of biggest dangers of them all (like the text says)
we need to learn to stop identifying as thoughts/ideals
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lessismore
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: lessismore]
#21933428 - 07/12/15 12:54 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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All you people can't you see How your love's affecting our reality Every time we're down You can make it right And that makes you larger than life
- backstreet boys
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mt cleverest
clevendafodil

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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21938963 - 07/13/15 07:57 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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That's a pretty bullshit list imo. There's actually only one criteria for an awakened consciousness: not seeking any of the characteristics in this list.
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: mt cleverest]
#21939093 - 07/13/15 08:25 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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that's your opinion of course though i would agree that seeking qualities drops away as one awakens
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Ajahn Don
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21946209 - 07/15/15 07:55 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
deff said: that's your opinion of course though i would agree that seeking qualities drops away as one awakens 
That's been my experience. Do you sit? I found after four years, my practice took a giant step forward when I began to do walking meditation. Of course, going into robes and practicing 24/7 for long periods of time might have made a difference. Who knows? I don't believe anyone has to do this to gain awareness, but it sure helped.
Actually, I teach sitting meditation for 20 minutes is the key. However, there is a Harvard scientist who has noted that 12 minutes of mindfulness meditation is all it takes to change the brain pathways. It would be interesting to see if 3 Mindful Breaths a Day would work too, just taking longer.
It all comes down to sitting, in my experience. Nothing takes the place of that, and it's the only thing I've ever found that produces consistent results. It changed my life.
Don
-------------------- "He's not altogether dense, but he's not altogether there."
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Ajahn Don]
#21946413 - 07/15/15 08:54 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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yes, i practice sitting meditation daily
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Ajahn Don
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff] 1
#21948287 - 07/15/15 04:43 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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-------------------- "He's not altogether dense, but he's not altogether there."
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Jokeshopbeard
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff] 1
#21948764 - 07/15/15 06:25 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Ajahn Don said: That's been my experience. Do you sit? I found after four years, my practice took a giant step forward when I began to do walking meditation. Of course, going into robes and practicing 24/7 for long periods of time might have made a difference. Who knows? I don't believe anyone has to do this to gain awareness, but it sure helped.
Actually, I teach sitting meditation for 20 minutes is the key. However, there is a Harvard scientist who has noted that 12 minutes of mindfulness meditation is all it takes to change the brain pathways. It would be interesting to see if 3 Mindful Breaths a Day would work too, just taking longer.
It all comes down to sitting, in my experience. Nothing takes the place of that, and it's the only thing I've ever found that produces consistent results. It changed my life.
Don
Interestingly, it was at almost exactly the 4 year mark my practice took a giant leap forward - although in my case it was due to reaching out to an old teacher for advice. Six words is all it took, but I had put in so much work beforehand.
Now, around the 6 year mark, my practice has taken another leap forward at my recognition of the om, and all that it encapsulates. I completely agree that constant practice is the only path (for myself at least).
Quote:
deff said: I came across this list of characteristics of awakened consciousness
Thanks so much for sharing that list and link deff, it's really been quite heartening to read. Nothing like a little confirmation that you're on the right path to brighten up your day!
-------------------- Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not. --Jac O'keeffe
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deff
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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: Jokeshopbeard]
#21948853 - 07/15/15 06:42 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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glad to hear your practice has been very fruitful, jokeshopbeard! best wishes to you !
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c0sm0nautt

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Re: Key characteristics of an awakened consciousness [Re: deff]
#21963857 - 07/19/15 08:48 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
deff said:
Quote:
c0sm0nautt said: Glad you are enjoying that book deff, to this day it is still one of my favorites.
oh btw c0sm0... he's coming out with a sequel in a couple months called 'Vistas of Infinity' 
Very cool, cannot wait for that
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