Exploring Non-Duality
If everything you’re perceiving is a cinematic production optimized for utility, then when you look at this page, you’re not really seeing a raw report of the light hitting your eyes, you are seeing what’s coming out of your mind. Therefore, everything you perceive as “the world” is a perception of your model of the world, which is to say, you.
Sasha Chapin • A Non-Definitive Guide to Non-Duality
Introductions to non-duality
I still think that one of the best introductions to non-duality in general is the conversation series Angelo had on ZDoggMD’s YouTube channel (part 1 is a fantastic intro, but parts 2 and 3 really get into it).
During non-dual experience, there tends to be a de-emphasis of that stressed-out inner monologue, and—as we all know—the stressed-out inner monologue can help you remind yourself of things like, “Fuck, fuck, I hope I don’t forget the milk, if I forget the milk again, I’m a fucking failure.”
Qualitative research has shown that people who have persist
... See moreSasha Chapin • A Non-Definitive Guide to Non-Duality
Can you really separate the two? Where do you draw the line? Have you ever had a sensory experience without awareness? Have you ever experienced awareness without a sensory experience? There is no line, no way that we can separate sensory experience from awareness. We must therefore conclude that awareness and sensory experience are in fact the sam
... See moreJude Star • Exploring Meditation 3: Non-Duality and Direct Path
Everything is Sensation, except Awareness
My sense, based on personal experience and observing others, is that you taking to the practice depends on your ability to catch a glimpse of non-duality. Try it out, and if you don’t experience an opening in any way after some exploration, I advise to return to a “bottom up” approach, with my usual recommendation being Vipassana practice as it’s s
... See moreJude Star • Exploring Meditation 3: Non-Duality and Direct Path
With nondual recognition, this is not the case. You can directly observe and explicitly think about the fact that you don't feel like a self and don't have a self-based reference point precisely while you feel that way or are doing some activity. This is a key way in which flow state is not the same thing as nondual recognition. Both are situations... See more
Waking Up - A New Operating System for Your Mind
The difference between non-duality and flow state
The Headless Way is a really fun and funny set of pointing out instructions with an Alice in Wonderland aesthetic, which feel very different from traditional meditation stuff. There’s a great Headless Way course on the Waking Up app.
Sasha Chapin • A Non-Definitive Guide to Non-Duality
One of the most widely respected non-dual teachers today is Adyashanti, who originally studied Zen formally but began to teach more direct path style after his awakening. Adyashanti recommends trying out the inquiry “what am I?”, which I found to land better than Ramana’s “who am I?”. The word “who” can tend to evoke dimensions of identity, which c
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