- Understanding Existential Nature: In this advanced section, Leo provides guidance for those already on the path of enlightenment and self inquiry. He emphasizes that having a robust conceptual framework can prevent wasted effort and confusion in one's spiritual journey. The existential nature refers to the individual's actual existence. The common belief is that our existence is tied to our bodies and minds, bound by life and death. Leo presents a second possibility, that the belief of being a human being is just a story indoctrinated into us. He asserts that we are not human beings, an idea that can be demonstrated empirically.
- Identifying with the Body and Mind: Leo discusses the misconception most people have about their existence, referring to it as "identification with the body and the mind". He invites viewers to contemplate the possibility that the individual selves we consider ourselves to be (e.g., "Leo", "a body") are just constructs of belief, and that we could be something else entirely.
- Clarifying "No Self" Concept: Leo addresses and clarifies the concept of "no self" from Buddhism. The term doesn't mean that one does not exist; it is an assertion that the personal, separate self (the ego) is an illusion. Even though the small self or ego is an illusion, there is a higher, true self that exists, distinct from the body and mind.
- Existence as Nothingness: Leo asks viewers to consider their existence as nothingness and clarifies that nothingness is not synonymous with non-existence. As an unchangeable entity, nothingness is the only constant in the backdrop of changing sensations, emotions, thoughts, and physical bodies.
- Practical Tips for Self Inquiry and Identifying the True Self: For those already practicing self inquiry or self-observation, Leo advises shifting their focus from the non-existence of self to the existence of the true self. This involves recognizing one's existence without the attachment to being a body or mind. The true self, according to Leo, is an ungraspable paradox that can only be identified through habitual, engaged self inquiry.
- Avoiding Misidentification: Leo underlines some important precautions to take in the self-inquiry process. He advises against identifying oneself with objects or attempting to visualize or feel oneself. Being open to the possibility of not being a human being also plays a crucial role to challenge ingrained belief systems. He also urges to discard the notion of location, as one's true self creates the basis for the concept of location. In spite of these cautious, he acknowledges that nothing is inherently hidden in this exploration.
- True Self Investigation: Leo emphasizes that the key to understanding the true self is by shifting the focus from the notion of 'no self' to investigating what one really is beyond the human body or mind. The true self is a vastly different concept than anything that's been previously experienced in life and requires radical open-mindedness.
- The Danger of Conceptualizing True Self: While discussing the true self is important for motivation and guiding seekers in the right direction, Leo warns that it can be dangerous. The mind could form images and concepts that can be distracting and lead to lost opportunities for real progress. This risk can be minimized by carefully understanding that the description of the true self is not an image in the mind but something to be sought after.
- True Self Definition: Leo defines the true self as pure, transparent, and empty awareness which he describes as the practical and useful grounding for self-inquiry. This awareness is not a physical object, software, or neuron activity but it is what contains space, time, and everything else.
- Understanding Awareness: Leo explains that awareness is a container for all experiences that occur in reality. It is transparent, empty and contains all of life's experiences. The essence of this awareness is compared to the gap in a cup which holds liquid, emphasizing its role to hold experience.
- Identity as Space: Leo presents the concept of identifying oneself as space rather than a human body. He adds that the reality is even more radical - one is not empty space but is absolute zero, the source of reality. This paradoxical concept, difficult to grasp, is central to understanding one's true self.
- The Unshakable Presence: Referring to a personal encounter with an enlightened individual, Leo reports unique observations about the nature of the enlightened self. This presence is described as a rock-solid, empty, transparent, and eternal presence that does not draw attention to itself but grounds and roots all sensations and experiences in it.
- Invisible and Humble Nature of Awareness: Awareness is a metaphorical flashlight, designed to illuminate everything else except itself. Think of it as a quiet, unassuming presence that sits in the background. It can seem hidden, as it tends to shine its light of awareness on everything else but itself, likened to a flashlight in a dark room.
- Difficulty of Self-inquiry and Awareness of Nothingness: The act of self-inquiring and awareness of one's true self is akin to a flashlight trying to examine itself - the mind struggles with being flexible enough for awareness to become aware of itself. It is a tough task framing awareness, as it constitutes complete nothingness, zero - essentially a blank. The complexity arises from the difficulty of becoming aware of something that is transparent, formless, and has no specific location, although rationally impossible, nothingness can indeed exist.
- Characteristics of Awareness: Awareness has no shape, form, physical location, or attachment to time. It is eternal, never created or destructed. Being within time, it is infinite, and symbolizes both nothing and everything in totality. This paradox is unfathomable to the human mind.
- Analogy of Black Holes and Human Consciousness: Commentary on blackholes’ existence in space-time mirrors human consciousness. Just as black holes possess a singularity that tears through the fabric of space-time, our psyche has a hole leading to non-existence and infinity when we question existence. Human consciousness can be seen as a field of omnipresent, bright, and alive vacuum – similar to a 3D camera sensor, that is infinitely large.
- Challenge of Thinking about Nothingness and Non-separation from Objects: Awareness cannot be sensed or even thought about, therefore any thoughts or ideas about nothingness are not real nothingness. Interestingly, this empty field of awareness, or nothingness, is not separate from the objects and experiences we perceive. Everything occurs within this infinite field of nothingness that can be discovered through training the mind to focus on awareness itself.
- The Illusion of Enlightenment and the Paradox of Finding Self: Positing self-inquiry as a challenging path where individuals often look for a hidden self, Leo reinforces the paradox that one's true self is not hidden. Enlightenment cannot be thought about or conceptualized - it's a realm beyond conceptualization.
- Searching for Nothingness: Leo Gura describes the challenging process of trying to understand the nature of the enlightened self or true self. He notes that the human mind is addicted to space, objects, and visual imagery, which makes it difficult to understand the abstract concept of enlightenment that is not associated with any physical form.
- Description of the True Self: Leo points out that the true self is not an object, an experience, or a human being; it is the entity within which experiences occur. Importantly, he mentions that the true self transcends spatial dimensions and objectivity, existing in a domain completely separate from that of physical objects.
- Need for Self-inquiry: Leo reiterates the need for consistent self-inquiry to reach understanding of the true self. He advises dedicating 30 to 60 minutes daily to this activity, or even more, if one is serious about understanding the true self.
- Avoiding Dead Ends in Self-Inquiry: Leo lists several misapprehensions to avoid during self-inquiry—identifying oneself with an object, attempting to see or feel oneself, and trying to locate oneself. He also urges viewers to consider the possibility that they are not a human being and perhaps not even an object.
- Constant Presence of True Self: The true self, according to Leo, is always present regardless of the life situation or state of mind. The aim of self-inquiry is to eliminate delusions and fantasies and realize this constant presence.
- Role of Strategy in Personal Development: Leo Gura promotes Actualized.org and its new forum intended to aid in one's journey of self-development. He emphasizes the dynamic power of his bi-weekly videos to transform one's perspective on life, helping achieve personal fulfilment and success.
- Deep Approach to Personal Development: Leo emphasizes that his approach to personal development is aimed at addressing the root causes of one's issues, neuroses, and problems, rather than just dealing with surface symptoms. This approach promises a profound transformation for individuals who follow the recommendations.