main attachments/aversions to let go of?

[ethereal]

I've spent the past few years, releasing various attachments and aversions, but I've only recently realized that there was a shortcut, that most of the ego's attachments hinge on certain critical points, and when you let go of those, the whole stack collapses.

Some of the important ones I've found:

1) Fear of death/nonexistence
2) the experience of pleasure
3) the experience of suffering
4) experiencing itself, i.e. attachment to the "experiencer"
5) the attachment to attachment
6) attachment to the personal will / control
7) attachment to thinking, the pleasure of thinking, to thinking reinforcing the illusion of an "I" who thinks

These seem to be some of the core structures of the ego, which get projected onto various things "out there", but in the end they all come back to the same few things.

Are there any others that people have discovered to be fundamental to pulling the props underneath the ego?

[skinnyninja]

I think a big one is the attachment to security. Peace of mind and safety. Personal safety from the elements. And so on. This goes back to the fear of death, for me though. The need to feel safe and secure is based on the fear of death. At least for me.

Another big one for me is worldly possessions. Electronics, technology, gadgets, and so on. I am somewhat guilty of letting these things define my identity (or at least be part of what defines my identity).

Also family and friends. I have an attachment there and they are part of who I identify myself as. Not sure if that one is really unhealthy though, as long as I'm not obsessive over those relationships.

[Antarananda]

Actually, if you deeply analyze further, you will find that your points 2 through 6 all collapse into number 1, the fear of death. The very desire to remain alive in a body is the only true obstacle to enlightenment. This has been my personal experience. The total disappearance of this one fear (samskara, or deep imprint) through a rewiring of your inner software, which reflects as bliss in your hardware (body) results in eternal freedom, or jivan mukti, being liberated from suffering while alive. Then you continue to live and work as before, but with a pervasive awareness which you recognize as the real "you".

Originally Posted by ethereal

I've spent the past few years, releasing various attachments and aversions, but I've only recently realized that there was a shortcut, that most of the ego's attachments hinge on certain critical points, and when you let go of those, the whole stack collapses.

Some of the important ones I've found:

1) Fear of death/nonexistence
2) the experience of pleasure
3) the experience of suffering
4) experiencing itself, i.e. attachment to the "experiencer"
5) the attachment to attachment
6) attachment to the personal will / control
7) attachment to thinking, the pleasure of thinking, to thinking reinforcing the illusion of an "I" who thinks

These seem to be some of the core structures of the ego, which get projected onto various things "out there", but in the end they all come back to the same few things.

Are there any others that people have discovered to be fundamental to pulling the props underneath the ego?

[ethereal]

Thanks for the tip, Antarananda Always glad to hear your insights.

I'm curious as to which spiritual practices you used in this process, and which you found to be most/more effective.

Also, to clarify my understanding, is the desire to live the same as the desire/attachment to consciousness or awareness?

Do you think it's possible to focus on that one single point, through dispassion to remain "alive" and/or Self-enquiry, and achieve enlightenment?

Does it require surrendering everything else that gets in the way, or is it ok to just focus on that, as it takes care of everything else?

For some reason I feel like I can't waste any more time on the journey, and I really want to find the most direct means possible (if there is such a thing).

Unfortunately I don't have much personal experience to guide me, so your help is much appreciated

[Antarananda]

Hi ethereal,

I wouldn't really attribute my Realization to spiritual practices directly. It happened more as a result of my association with my spiritual Master (Guru), Nithyananda. He initiated me into several esoteric processes, which led to growing clarity and bliss. The final process is too mystical to describe here

If I were to recommend one meditation approach to you, it would depend on your personal inclinations, experience, and mental tendencies. "Being unclutched" as my Guru calls it is the ultimate approach, where you drop each thought which arises within you and just rest in the gap between thoughts.

Truly, meditation and settling into bliss happens a lot more easily with the living guidance of an Enlightened Master. It's the most direct, fast approach, I have found. Before I met Nithyananda, I meditated for over a decade but felt like I was going around in circles and could not relax from the mind.

A pure experience of samadhi, aka no-mind in the presence of my Master made my meditations instantly deep, effective and blissful. You develop the knack for staying in that state of pure, transcendent awareness. Of course it helps that I am now an initiated monastic disciple. My entire life is structured around expressing Realization every moment.

I don't check these forums much any longer, so if you would like to be in touch, please contact me by email through my blog.

Be blissful!

[Takuin Minamoto]

Originally Posted by ethereal

I've only recently realized that there was a shortcut, that most of the ego's attachments hinge on certain critical points, and when you let go of those, the whole stack collapses.

There is something else that might be of use to you. The main problem here is what you think the ego can be free from. There is no ego + attachment, for example. There is only attachment. The ego IS the attachment. There is no separation there.

That seems to be a big problem for everyone. They think that the "problems" they experience are somehow separate from the self that is experiencing them.

Saying the "ego's attachments" implies that the ego is separate from what it wants to be free from. That structure will always remain as long as the ego sees itself as being separate.

There is absolutely nothing to be free from.

Are there any others that people have discovered to be fundamental to pulling the props underneath the ego?

As long as this struggle is continued to be seen as separate, meaning the ego + its problems, then it will forever continue. There is no ME + HATE, for example. There is only hate. I am hate. The "self" is hate.

Everyone wants to be free of this separation, but there is actually NO separation. The only separation is the thought of things being separate. It might be hard to get your head around, but sit with it. Go into it and see it for yourself (not self, but I think you know what I mean).

Hope that is useful somehow.