Having a long standing, formal spiritual practice like meditation does make you more prepared and more likely to have an awakening.
But I also know people who've had various awakenings through:
- psychedelics
- tantric practices
- reading a profound book
- help of a guru
Etc.
Conversation
Having a framework does seem to be helpful for doing the work, otherwise the "I am insane" period post-awakening can last longer and be more damaging.
It also seems that dissolving the framework is a good idea after the work is done, so it doesn't turn into dogma.
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Don't forget the "I am insane" period *before* awakening. Without a map, it's really easy to get stuck there. Potentially for the rest of your life.
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How's your experience of dissolving the framework been?
I can't even bring myself to respect any framework to begin with, so I wouldn't even know where to start... I'm sure it's easy to slip into when the results come, though - judging by every enlightened person I know.
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Really good point about the "I am insane" period before awakening. The potential to get lost there if going without a map is maybe even greater than post-awakening, because there is less clarity and one is more prone to delusion.
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And the potential for delusion doesn't stop post awakening! Someone with a sense of authority can easily get stuck in their own bullshit, as is evident by the plethora of ego trips / abuse stories among gurus.
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If anything, if you were an abusive prick before you got enlightened you'll probably be a *worse* abusive prick after, as your last sense of attachment to propriety fades away...
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Yeah, that seems to be exactly the case. Personality defects (and also harmless quirks and eccentricities) seem to become more pronounced post awakening.
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Yup. Turns out I have a big, unresolved anger problem, for example. I used to be good at suppressing it, which was its own kind of bad, but now I can't really do it anymore - and I'm not even finished yet!
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Have you tried finding healthier outlets for it? Videogames, for example. Letting the angry monkey be an angry monkey and tire itself out.
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Your conception of my anger is a few degrees too soft, I think.
I play a lot of games. Competitive ones. It's a thrill to compete, but it is nowhere close to depleting my anger on bad days.
Strongly considered something like MMA, except all the practitioners I know are emotinoal trainwrecks and the culture seems *really* toxic.
Maybe I should learn to shoot? I don't know.
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If anything, though, I'm probably low-balling intellectual engagement.
I don't spend much time in thinking mode anymore, but that's generally how I get my more animalistic kicks (except for the usual suspects, of course).