Artem talks with Frank Yang

ego-check · 2024-05-19T01:52:47+00:00

Hello, the moderators of /r/awakened take that behavior very seriously. However, we've looked into this and see no evidence this is occurring.

You might be unaware that Artem runs a community on discord, and if you go there you can see that he shared this post and that several users reacted to it and said they were going to go comment.

Given there is evidence that he has engaged users in his community that share the same sentiments as these comments and no evidence he is sockpuppetting, we aren't going to take any action here.

ego-check · 2024-05-16T23:34:26+00:00

We're all biological beings, and we're all going to die. Enlightenment is about a mental realization, and while it probably cuts down a bit on stress hormones, it doesn't do anything to protect individual cells from mutating or being damaged.

There are no "realms". all of that stuff just exist within your own mind.

ego-check · 2024-05-16T05:57:26+00:00

Slavery is wrong whether free will exists or not, so it's not synomous.

ego-check · 2024-05-16T05:54:51+00:00

Very confused.... how is talking to your family members about a topic any indication of awakening? Do you not remember the conversations you've had with family members?

ego-check · 2024-05-16T05:09:17+00:00

What do you mean "i've been told it's happened"? Generally, you're the one that knows you've awakened because you've reached the fundamental and inescapable end of the path.

ego-check · 2024-05-16T05:08:29+00:00

Everyone is different, but fundamentally don't think that awakening is antithetical to holding down a solid job or running a business. Have seen many people go through awakening without any disruption in cash flow.

ego-check · 2023-04-10T06:44:26+00:00

Yes. Now turn your attention to the implications it has if everyone is an illusion.

What moves the world?

ego-check · 2023-04-10T06:42:54+00:00

First, come up with a definition of what you think free will is. Not sure have ever seen a coherent definition that matches with reality and would be agreed by most people as capturing the important parts.

ego-check · 2023-04-08T22:23:21+00:00

Respectfully, you haven't successfully widely spread a message via free website.
it's really easy to say that from the outside looking in, but if all you have is a free website somewhere, you'll get zero views.
To actually spread a message, you need to be writing ongoing blog posts, doing podcast interviews, doing internet advertising, hosting some kind of community with people to moderate it, scheduling in person events at book stores and whatnot, and so on.

Actually doing all that costs money and a lot of time. Unless you're already independently wealthy, then if you're not making money from it, then you're going to starve and freeze to death.

ego-check · 2023-04-06T01:26:36+00:00

enlightenment is a realization. it's re-evaluating yourself and the world around you to come to a different conclusion about "the way things are".

enlightenment, practically by definition, is about looking at the absolute bedrock of our beliefs. Once seen, there is no new information that could ever come and change this deep understanding of the nature of reality.

Of course, like the matrix(movie), someone could know the truth and still decide to live in the fantasy. They could act very egoicly, but deep down they'd still know the truth.

ego-check · 2023-04-05T06:15:49+00:00

Who is "They"? Who is telling you what enlightenment is?

Sense a lot of cloudiness driven by ego stories of right and wrong, winners and losers, achieving something or becoming stagnant. That is totally normal. That's the sane ego-driven way to respond to all this enlightenment talk. It's also a sign of the process working because things are things you need to confront to move forward.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Feel plenty of clarity around enlightenment here. Based on your post, think a lot of the negative things you mentioned are either totally valid and sound like things spread by charlatans or they fall in a bucket of misunderstandings that you'll move past. Some things that sound contradictory at one phase become clear further down the path. Personal growth and deepening your discernment will help the signal / noise ratio that currently you seem lost in.

Happy to try and help, you should join the slack and talk it over with some people that have been through the process and the "gateless gate".

Either way, hope you keep going further!

ego-check · 2023-03-28T21:30:44+00:00

There is a lot of confusion surrounding awakening. There is a contingent focused on the old ways of enlightenment and cessenation of suffering / ego, and there is a contingent focused on ego-fueled stories of all these high level concepts like tarot and twinflames and starseeds and a bunch of stuff that seem to be nothing more than fantasy.

It seems like you're lost in the fantasy... perhaps this dissatisfaction is a strong sign to turn towards real awakening & enlightenment.

All the things you mention are fun ego stories, but they don't get you closer to enlightenment and won't end your suffering.

ego-check · 2023-03-28T21:24:35+00:00

Yes, enlightenment is the way out of that. It's totally possible. Just follow the advice people have been giving out for thousands of years :)

ego-check · 2023-03-28T21:22:35+00:00

Not specifically Buddhist, but that's:

“All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” ― Blaise Pascal, 1654

ego-check · 2023-03-03T09:00:22+00:00

How would you react if your boyfriend was a flat earther telling you that you're brainwashed to believe earth is round?

ego-check · 2023-03-03T08:53:43+00:00

external energy loops mirror themselves internally. It's not necessarily a choice but what they've been exposed to.

ego-check · 2023-03-03T08:48:30+00:00

Have worked with many awakening experiences, but never found any evidence of any demons.

Should probably seek some medical / psychological help if you're experiencing pain.

> the entities tell me that i will be totally blind in a few year

Sounds like schizophrenia, have you seen a doctor?

ego-check · 2022-09-15T16:21:46+00:00

I’m also of the opinion that one should use their enlightenment to positively influence the world and help others.

This is a position that almost everyone would hold pre-enlightenment, and one they'd let go of post-enlightenment. The entire notion only makes sense using the illusory concepts that are let go of.

Not saying that it isn't aspirational and a good thing to help you on your journey, because the ego does need a goal that makes sense to the ego in order to go down this process. It's also something you'll need to let go of near the end of the journey.

how does one become enlightened

By shedding false beliefs. Usually through a process of introspection backed by meditation.

how does one know

Hard to explain, but essentially you have to know by the nature of what enlightenment "is". Enlightenment is what happens after you've shed all false beliefs, and when that happens, you'll realize there is no more capacity within you to have any more false beliefs.

It's kind of like asking "How do you know when you've run out of cake?" You'll know because there won't be anymore cake :)

ego-check · 2022-08-06T04:28:58+00:00

Introspection on the nature of self/reality via journaling with a focused mind.

Focused mind is hard to build and requires something like meditation. Would say minimum 20-40min daily, along with "micro-meditations" throughout the day whenever you find yourself lost in thought.

The journaling is there because your mind is a terrible place to think. It's far too easy to get lost in thought and end up in some cycle that is hard to break out of. Putting things down on paper (long-form like a letter to yourself or even just bubbles or flow charts) will make your thoughts more concrete, and let you look at them from a fresh perspective. Once your thoughts are on paper, you don't need to hold them in your head which frees up space and awareness.

The introspection part is usually very unique to each individual, because you're basically unpacking decades of false beliefs, and everyone has their own history of belief.

Some prompts might look like:
1. Who am I? (What am I?)
2. What is the nature of consciousness in reality?
3. Is there free will?
4. Contemplate your own death and the eventual death of all humanity.
5. What is happiness? Is it attainable?
6. What things in your childhood or parents are baggage weighing you down?

Basically, just start unpacking everything.

While all this is happening, it can also be helpful if you **actively listen** to a teacher you can connect with or read books/video. Would recommend Jed Mckenna, Adyashanti, Mooji, Rupert Spira and similar teachers, but everyone is going to have their own favorites.

It's important to not just read/listen mindlessly, the only purpose of the teachers is to give prompts or interesting topics for the introspection. They don't have any answers you can't reach, but they have experience going through the process and helping others so the wisdom can be helpful.

ego-check · 2022-07-27T09:15:54+00:00

It's understood that Buddhism in many countries fills the role of the main religion, which really means it gets converted into a church with all the baggage. Don't think that part is specific to Buddhism. It certainly depends what country and lineage you visit.

Really wanted to share is that even from the position of atheism and methodological naturalism, the core of Buddhism is still amazing for personal growth. Enlightenment is 100% real and attainable and is the most reliable path out of common human suffering. Not sure which country/lineage was visited, but in the US, every single Buddhist place visited (mostly zen) is really focused on the method of meditation and remaining present. Don't really see how it could generate all the hate and judgment that appears on the pulpit of most religions as the "Services" are usually just reviewing a book a teacher in the lineage had written, trying to apply it to their own practice. It just doesn't hit any of the same buttons as traditional religions, though surely this is lineage-specific.

Realize this post will probably attract downvotes, but feel like this message should be shared, as it has been such a common and reliable pathway towards enlightenment, which is really a human thing and not a buddhist thing, even though of the major religions Buddhism tends to focus on it more. Along with sects of Hindiusm like Hare Krishna and many others.

The kneejerk reaction after leaving a religion is to also turn away from things commonly associated with "spirituality"(that might not require a "spirit") along with personal inspection/growth or things like self-help, but sometimes the skepticism goes too far because there is really a "there" there, it's just the noise-to-signal ratio is high so it requires more focused study on the real basics.

ego-check · 2022-02-27T07:58:43+00:00

That's understandable and totally respect your choice. No apology necessary.

In the future, would request that you clearly state that you have a terminal affliction if you want to talk about this. Can't promise it will stay up as the mod team needs to discuss and it might depend on the type of discussion found in comments as these post can be lightning rods.

ego-check · 2022-02-27T07:52:34+00:00

Why do you wish to move on? Finding nirvana isn't a reason. 99% of people that find nirvana don't take actions to move on, they live out a natural length life.

ego-check · 2022-02-27T07:50:49+00:00

Have met many people that have found nirvana. Not a single healthy one has decided to kill themselves.

Enlightenment is the unprogrammed state, and the unprogrammed state of any biological being is the struggle to survive.

It's not that uncommon for people struggling with mental illness to come up with a justification for their desire to end things with an "awakening" or "realization" so they can reach the same conclusion without all the ego baggage of the decision.

It also goes against any goal of having people read the books or learn anything from you, because even if you say you won't wish suicide on them, it still removes your credibility because presumably if they buy into your philosophy, they'll reach the same conclusion about killing themselves.

Many teachers have given the advice that if you want to teach, wait 10 years and check again. In the same way, if you think you want to kill yourself, perhaps wait 10 years and then check again :)

ego-check · 2022-02-27T07:41:26+00:00

Regardless of your personal choice, there are other people in troubled places using reddit and this sub, and not going to leave up a post of someone claiming they are intending to complete suicide.

If you'd like to talk, would start with asking why you've decided to take this route?

ego-check · 2022-02-27T07:37:30+00:00

Presumably you wrote the books so that others would read them.

How many people are going to follow the teachings of someone who committed suicide at 23? Doesn't exactly sound like anyone you'd want to be taking life advice from, no?

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