Self-Love - The Highest Teaching In The Universe

• The significance of personal development: Leo Gura speaks about his journey of self-discovery and personal development which began seven years prior. He highlights the numerous directions and methods one could pursue in personal development such as working towards financial stability, improving self-esteem, pursuing therapy or meditating among others.
• The highest teaching is self-love: Gura identifies that personal development can be understood and distilled down into a single concept - self-love. He asserts that self-love is the ultimate teaching and if understood properly, could lead to understanding all other teachings. He notes that his understanding of this concept has evolved and changed over time due to his willingness to learn, grow, and admit wrongs.
• An alien species teaching mankind: Gura proposes a hypothetical scenario where mankind meets an advanced alien species and suggests they would teach us the importance of self-love. He states the lesson is not of scientific or technological value, but one of understanding self-love, which is the ultimate lesson of the universe for all species.
• Connecting self-love to actualized learning: Gura positions the concept of self-love as the core teaching which connects all his other teachings. He believes that self-love is not generally taught in educational or religious institutions and notes this could potentially be the reason for societal issues. He proposes that self-love is not just about emotions and feelings for humans, but an existential force driving evolution for every species in the universe. It is a realization of the true nature of beings.
• Detailed explanation of self-love: Self-love, according to Gura, is not ordinary. It's an understanding and acceptance of self which is far beyond human emotions or feelings. He acknowledges that this definition is quite abstract and needs further explanation and breakdown for it to be properly understood.
• Journeying through the process: Gura acknowledges that his journey of self-realization and personal growth has been continuous, with his understanding of reality developing and changing week-to-week over the past seven years. He advises his viewers to go through their own journey of self-discovery and learning rather than immediately adopting his teachings on self-love. He confirms that even with the understanding of self-love being the ultimate teaching, the process of actualizing it is a journey everyone must undertake independently.
• Full realization requires self-acceptance: He advocates for full realization and embodiment of one's true nature, and reiterates that this is a process that cannot be shortcut or avoided. Leo proposes that the love and truth are one and the same at a metaphysical level and therefore, full awakening cannot be attained without the realization of love.
• Self-love – A universal lesson: Lastly, Gura posits that self-love is a universal lesson, not just for humans but for all conscious beings across the universe. He points that this underlines realization and perception is vital in understanding all other teachings or discarding those that are extraneous and useless.
• Understanding of Self-Love in Judging Intelligence: Leo Gura argues that the depth of understanding and appreciation of self-love is a measure of intelligence. He postulates that an alien species would be considered more intelligent than humans if it has a deeper understanding of self-love. Conversely, if a human understands self-love more deeply than an alien, that human would be considered more intelligent.
• Self-Love as a Measure of Quality in Teachers and Teachings: Leo introduces a practical guideline for assessing the quality of teachers, teachings, or ideologies – ranking them according to the degree of self-love present. He suggests that teachings with the highest degrees of self-love are the truest and highest ones.
• Expression of Self-Love in Various Ideologies: Considering ideologies like capitalism, socialism, Christianity, Buddhism, and science, Leo suggests rating them on a scale of self-love. He highlights that ideologies with high degrees of self-love promote wellness and truth.
• Identification of Corrupted Teachings Through Presence of Hatred or Judgment: Gura elaborates that corrupted teachings can be identified by any degree of judgment, hatred, or fear present in them. Despite their potential purity at their time of inception, teachings may become corrupted over time, as evidenced by these negative elements.
• Assertion that All Problems Stem from Lack of Self-Love: He boldly claims that all of mankind's problems originate from a lack of self-love. By self-love, he refers to the love for oneself as the true awakened self, not the human identity.
• Mystical Experiences of the True Self and Love Deemed Crucial: Leo argues that to truly understand and implement self-love, one must have a mystical experience of the true self and love. This allows for proper comprehension of the concepts of "self" and "love" essential to the practice of self-love.
• Significance of Direct Experiences Over Theories in Understanding Self-Love: He emphasizes that direct mystical experiences trump theoretical knowledge when it comes to comprehending self-love. He suggests various techniques such as psychedelics, yoga, meditation, and contemplation to attain these experiences.
• Examples of Addressing Key Problems Through Self-Love: He proposes that understanding self-love can effectively address key problems like insecurity. However, further elaboration on these examples is expected to follow in the later sections of the video transcript.
• Addressing insecurities and low self-esteem: Leo expresses that many people in personal development seek practical solutions for their insecurities, such as physical appearance, self-esteem, confidence, shyness, attracting partners, managing relationships, and feeling judged. The ultimate solution to all these issues is self-love. Changing external factors, like physical appearance, will never fully solve these problems because there will always be something else to fix, or circumstances beyond control.
• Embracing oneself: The key to overcoming insecurities is, as Leo explains, is to accept oneself and stop judging others, as self-judgement and judgement of others are two sides of the same coin. By addressing the root cause of low self-esteem, which is lack of self-love, individuals can find lasting solutions to their insecurities.
• Finding beauty in existence: Leo discusses the concept of self-love and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and appreciating the beauty of one's own existence. He suggests practicing self-love by looking at oneself in the mirror and falling in love with the physical body, but also extending that love to the entire universe and everything within it.
• Unconditional love: He explains that true self-love involves accepting and embracing oneself, as well as appreciating the incredible nature of the universe. Leo emphasizes that self-love should be unconditional, not based on what one can do for oneself or others. He also mentions that conditional love, based on usefulness or convenience, is not true love.
• Exploring the infinite mind: Recognizing oneself as a part of the entire universe and appreciating the infinite nature of one’s mind can be a profound self-love practice. This process highlights the appreciation of one’s existence and expands the locus of one’s self beyond physicality. Love in this context is for one’s existence, independent of utility or survival.
• Alien messages about self-love: Leo Gura speculates that if highly advanced alien species were to communicate with humans, they would teach about the importance of self-love rather than sharing advanced technology or scientific knowledge. He acknowledges that such a concept may be dismissed by those with a materialistic perspective but asserts that self-love is the ultimate driver of evolution for every species. Reports of entities communicating messages of self-love through substances like DMT further emphasize his viewpoint.
• The measure of teachings and ideologies through self-love: Gura posits that the quality of teachings or ideologies can be assessed based on how much they promote self-love. A teaching or ideology that encourages self-love, through the words, actions, and behavior of its proponents, is considered high quality. He cautions against teachings that foster judgment, hatred, or fear, as they may be corrupted.
• Self-love as a solution for insecurities: Gura suggests that genuine self-love, an understanding and acceptance of one's true self, can adequately address various insecurities, such as issues with physical appearance, self-esteem, and relationships. He asserts that external changes will never fully solve these issues, as they tend to focus on symptoms rather than addressing the root cause – lack of self-love.
• Appreciating the beauty of existence and universal love: Through the practice of deep self-love, Gura advises extending that love to the universe and everything within it. Recognizing and appreciating the inherent beauty and complexity of existence is a form of unconditional love that is not based on what one can do for oneself or others.
• Self-acceptance and expanding love: According to Gura, true love is rooted in loving someone or something for their existence, not for what they can provide for us. This true love allows us to appreciate our own disowned parts, ultimately leading to a profound appreciation of reality. Loving deeply can result in the most complete, ecstatic, and joyous states of being.
• Self-love in dating and attraction: Gura explains that unsuccessful attempts to attract a partner often stem from a lack of self-love. This deficiency can be detected and will make a person appear weak and unconfident. Gura debunks the common misconception that acquiring numerous sexual partners equates to self-love, emphasizing instead the necessity for genuine care and consideration for others.
• Addressing conflicts through self-love: Gura states that disagreements and resultant relationship breakdowns can be prevented through the practice of self-love. This involves recognizing the valid position of the other party without compromising self-respect and boundaries. This approach also helps in overcoming life’s challenges and injustices, fostering healing, growth, and empathy.
• Expanding self-love in business and overcoming fear: Expanding self-love can influence business decisions and empower individuals to follow their passions. Gura identifies the lack of self-love as a common reason people settle for unsatisfying jobs. He argues that fear often impedes financial success and that self-love can help overcome this fear and achieve financial success.
• Prominence of self-love in various life aspects: Gura advocates for self-love and expanding the sense of self as solutions to societal and personal challenges. From political problems to spiritual practices, self-love can guide positive changes and help individuals navigate life’s complexities.
• Self-love as a remedy for bad psychedelic experiences and societal issues: Gura suggests that self-love can provide healing after a bad psychedelic experience and combat societal issues like violence and racism. He underscores the need to understand and empathize with the causes behind these problems to effectively address them.
• Environmental protection and self-love: Gura comments that societal lack of self-love contributes to environmental challenges like excessive CO2 emissions. By expanding self-love, individuals can prioritize the environment over personal gain, addressing issues like depression, addiction, and ideological disagreement.
• Realization of self-acceptance and consciousness: In this section, Gura discusses the interconnectedness of self-acceptance, love, and consciousness. He insists that individuals need to acknowledge their own existence and the material universe within their consciousness to experience truly profound existential love.
• Inclusion of judged or hated aspects in the sense of self: Gura advises accepting and embracing the things we judge or hate, incorporating them into our sense of self to fully appreciate ourselves and the universe. This amalgamation of love and truth requires accepting the infinite diversity of consciousness, which includes both desirable and undesirable aspects.
• Significance of self-love as a core teaching: Gura emphasizes that self-love is the foundational principle connecting all other teachings he delivers. He laments the lack of focus on self-love in most educational and religious institutions, underscoring the need for individuals to realize their true nature as facets of god.
• Self-love for awakening and spiritual growth: Gura identifies self-love as an essential part of spiritual development and awakening. He encourages viewers to identify and embrace all the ways they don't love themselves, reiterating that truth and love are identical at a metaphysical level. Only the complete realization of self-love can eliminate all life's problems.
• Support for Actualized.org and commitment to teachings: Leo Gura encourages viewers to support his work at Actualized.org, and emphasizes that in-depth study and exploration of his teachings are required for a deeper understanding and appreciation. He acknowledges that without previous foundational knowledge, his advanced videos can be challenging to grasp accurately. He calls for a long-term commitment from viewers to achieve the worth of his teachings.
• Disagreements and arguments: Leo states that most disagreements and arguments stem from a lack of self-love exhibited by both sides. Practicing self-love helps dissolve arguments and disagreements. He emphasizes that self-love also involves respect for the other party's position.
• Lack of self-love leading to divorce: Leo asserts that lack of self-love is a significant factor leading to divorce. People who do not fully love themselves find it challenging to love their partners unconditionally. However, he clarifies that self-love does not mean staying in abusive relationships; setting boundaries and leaving such relationships is an act of self-love.
• Dealing with death, suffering, illness, injury and injustice: Leo prompts his audience to approach such situations with self-love. For instance, getting a severe illness calls for enhanced self-love to aid healing. Understanding, embracing, and learning from these situations are acts of self-love that result in personal growth and empathy.
• Handling personal loss and injustice against oneself: Leo recounts an incident where his car was broken into and his belongings stolen. Instead of reacting with anger, he empathized with the thief, seeing the larger societal issues at play. Leo thus presents self-love as a way for individuals to detach from their personal ego perspective.
• The problem of overworking: Leo emphasizes the need for balance, advocating for self-love in the workplace. He notes that people often work to the detriment of their health due to a lack of self-love. If you truly love yourself, you won't put yourself in detrimental situations, such as excessive work hours, poor eating habits, etc.
• Self-love as a solution to dissatisfaction with one's job: Self-love is key in motivating oneself towards career fulfillment. Expanding one's sense of self-love can illuminate a new vision for a career change, propel them through difficult times, and foster a strong sense of life purpose. The lack of these is at root of enduring a dissatisfying job.
• Passion and self-love in starting businesses: Overcoming fear to start a business requires immense self-love and deep belief in the business’s potential to make a meaningful contribution to society. Demonstration of self-love through business includes creating products or services that genuinely help people; the ultimate reward is the positive impact on people, not financial gains.
• Work and the practice of self-love: Those working in professions that have a detrimental effect on society, such as sugary beverage companies that contribute to public health issues, lack self-love. Expanding one's self-love can lead individuals to create healthier, more beneficial alternatives for society.
• Economic and societal issues as self-love problems: Money, economic, societal, or political problems are fundamentally self-love issues. Building the right society or economy that alleviates such issues requires overcoming tribal warfare, corruption, or problematic ideologies which can be achieved by fostering a greater sense of self-love.
• Healing societal issues through self-love: Self-love can help understand and empathize with the causes of societal problems, enabling the development of solutions that address these root causes. This is particularly relevant to issues related to poverty, health, and infrastructure.
• Alien Species Teaching Self-love: Leo Gura expresses that if humans made contact with an advanced alien species, they would teach us the importance of self-love. This lesson would drive evolution and solve many human challenges. According to reports from those who claimed to have made alien contact via substances like DMT, the consistent message received is about self-love.
• Self-love as a Measure of Quality: Gura highlights self-love as a yardstick for measuring the quality of ideologies and teachings. If an alien being understands self-love deeper than we do, it would be smarter, necessitating us to learn from it. The quality of a teaching or teacher can be judged by the degree of self-love present, which emphasizes assessing a teacher's words, actions, and behaviors.
• Resolution of Insecurities through Self-love: Gura addresses the use of self-love as a solution to insecurities including physical appearance, self-esteem, confidence, attracting partners, managing relationships, and fear of judgment. He explains that changing external factors does not alleviate these problems; instead, acceptance and cessation of judging others via self-love can lead to a permanent solution.
• Appreciating One's Existence: The concept of self-love is explained through recognition and appreciation of one's existence. Gura recommends practicing self-love by appreciating one's physical body and extending this love to the entire universe, emphasizing that unconditional self-love is not based on what one can do for oneself or others.
• Love and Self: The idea of expanding one's sense of self or love to the entire universe is discussed. True love is described as loving others for their existence and not what they can do for us. An overall awareness and appreciation of all forms of existence can lead to experiencing complete happiness, love, and realization of self.
• Self-love in Dating and Attraction: Gura discusses the role of self-love in attracting fulfilling, stable relationships. He debunks the misconception that multiple partners equate to self-love, and states that a lack of self-love negatively impacts body language and behavior making one appear unconfident. At high levels of self-love, relationships or sexual engagements may not be needed at all.
• Argument Resolution through Self-love: Practicing self-love, which includes respecting the other party's viewpoints, can prevent serious disagreements. A lack of self-love can destruct relationships and hinder recovery from challenges like illness or injury. Empathy and love, instead of judgement can result in personal growth and spiritual improvements.
• Work Overburdening and Health: Gura emphasizes self-love as a solution to overwork and related health issues. He emphasizes a societal change, where personal care is prioritized over detrimental situations.
• Self-love and Career Choices: Gura states that self-love also relates to career satisfaction; if one hates their job, they should expand self-love, envision a new job, and take action towards this passion.
• Financial Success and Self-love: Gura suggests self-love is crucial in overcoming fear and enabling financial success. He criticizes prioritizing money over love, leading to emptiness and misery, and highlights the interconnectedness of societal issues.
• Social and Political Issues, Spirituality, and Self-love: In addressing societal issues like poverty, violent crime, terrorism, and racism, Gura suggests expanding self-love. He also emphasizes self-love in spirituality and mandates a kind and understanding approach to spiritual practices.
• Dealing with Bad Psychedelic Experience: Gura explains that a bad psychedelic experience results from a lack of self-love, with the ego resisting conscious expansion. He suggests practicing self-love after a bad experience, doing comfort-giving activities for proper healing and recovery.
• Self-love as a Solution to Environmental Problems: Gura argues that excessive CO2 emissions result from a lack of societal self-love. If humans include animals and the environment in their self-conception, they would prioritize the environment over money.
• Qualities of Successful Business: Gura distinguishes successful business from just making money by emphasizing the impact of self-love in business. He also suggests that creativity and passion are important to contribute something valuable to society.
• Self-acceptance: Gura elucidates the concept of self-acceptance and the role of consciousness. He recommends viewers to strive to deepen their understanding and recognition of consciousness, which he claims will ultimately lead to a more amazing life.
• Living an Amazing Life: Gura emphasizes the importance of recognizing that life under all conditions is amazing. Acceptance of self and the universe can help us fall in love with ourselves.
• Acceptance and Embrace of Disliked Things: Gura suggests embracing even the things we judge or hate. He emphasizes that everything is a part of us and should be included in our sense of self.
• Teaching of Self-love: In closing, Gura discusses how self-love, despite being a core teaching, is not commonly taught in schools or religious institutions, and this has negative impacts on society. He sees self-love as an ultimate realization and a touchstone to return to in times of confusion.
• Role of Self-love in Awakening: Gura stresses that self-love is crucial for spiritual growth and awakening. Accepting every aspect of one's reality is important, as rejecting any part equates to denying the truth.
• Support for Leo Gura's Work: In concluding, Gura calls for support for his work on Actualized.org through Patreon, and encourages viewers to deeply explore his work to gain a broader understanding.
• On excessive CO2 emissions and environmental issues: Leo Gura explains that the issue of excessive carbon dioxide emissions and environmental degradation stems from a lack of self-love. He argues that the heads of oil companies, who have known about the potential environmental impact of CO2 emissions since the 1970s, lack a sense of self that includes the environment and animals. This leads to prioritization of profit over environmental preservation. He notes that people often treat the environment the same way they treat their bodies, pointing to obesity as an example. Gura acknowledges that it is systemic factors, like the marketing of unhealthy food, that contribute to these issues.
• How self-love affects parenting: Gura discusses the role of self-love in parenting. He suggests that problems such as rebellious behavior in children can often be traced back to a lack of self-love in parents, leading to criticism and judgement rather than unconditional acceptance. The inability to love and accept a child unconditionally, he states, often results in estrangement and can drive the child towards negative influences. Gura emphasizes the need for parents to work on their own self-love and acceptance to foster better relationships with their children.
• Self-love as a solution to a wide range of problems: Gura posits that self-love is the solution to a wide range of problems, including depression, addiction, ideological disagreements, and parenting challenges. He asserts that a person's happiness level is directly linked to the amount of self-love they possess. From being a successful business person and making a positive impact on the world through one's work, to leading others effectively and engaging in healing processes, Gura insists on the crucial role of self-love in all aspects of life.
• The connection between self-love and reality: According to Gura, self-love is the ultimate truth and strength because the conscious mind, or reality, is in love with itself and constructs itself. Rejecting any part of one's self or reality is equivalent to rejecting the truth, coming from a place of limited consciousness. He explains that like a thing has to be itself (a=a), reality or God also has to be itself and fully love itself - a concept he equates to self-love.
• On God and self-love: Gura equates God with self-love and describes God as infinite consciousness. He argues that infinite consciousness, which is what God refers to, cannot hate, judge, reject, or deny itself. God, from its perspective, is a complete necessity and cannot be anything but what it is – infinite consciousness. This understanding, Gura posits, is the unfolding of self-love.
• Application of self-love in everyday life: In daily life, one can practice self-love by expanding their sense of self and sense of love. A practical method suggested by Leo is to wear a wristband and associate it with things one dislikes or hates. Each time one notices the wristband, they should be reminded to look for things they dislike, accepting and embracing these things to expand their sense of self and love. This practice assists in embracing one's realities and learning to love what is, including the aspects judged or hated.
• Connection of existence, consciousness, and self-love: According to Leo, for anything to exist, it essentially has to accept itself. Consciousness is not merely a byproduct of living creatures, but rather, what truly is essence. Consciousness allows life to accept itself and inhabit its own form in the universe. This acceptance, which is inherent in all things, is deemed as a form of self-love at the metaphysical level.
• Differentiating love and self-acceptance: While the concepts of self-acceptance and love may seem synonymous, the key distinction lies in the form of ecstatic union seen in love. As consciousness recognizes itself, it acknowledges its own existential beauty. This recognition is an expression of self-love, characterized by amazement and appreciation for the existence of one’s consciousness in the universe.
• Transcending gender stereotypes in self-love: Self-love transcends traditional gender narratives and archetypes. It is not feminine or masculine, but rather, an embodiment of the universal truth. Practicing self-love does not make one weak or 'girly,' but it serves to strengthen one's existential understanding. It integrates and transcends all worldly stereotypes and divisions.
• Self-love is not egotism or narcissism: It is crucial to distinguish between self-love and narcissistic or egoistic love. The practice of self-love as suggested by Leo involves expanding one's sense of self and love, going beyond self-centered attitudes. Self-love is not an exaggerated self-focus or self-importance but a deeper, broader understanding and acceptance of one's existence in the world.
• Recognition of personal amazement in creating an amazing life: According to Leo, creating an amazing life involves recognizing and accepting the inherent amazement in one's existence. Every accomplishment, creation, or discovery is an expression of one recognizing their own amazement. “We are infinite amazement,” Leo mentions, suggesting that to achieve an amazing life, the focus should be on recognizing and embracing one's own amazement and expansiveness in all conditions.
• Role of consciousness and truth in self-acceptance and love: Self-acceptance and love are inherently connected to consciousness and truth. Leo emphasizes that consciousness is essentially what "is," existing in and of itself and accepting itself as it is, which is considered the truth. This realization that consciousness has of itself leads to an ecstatic state wherein it recognizes its own existential beauty. This recognition is an expression of love, suggesting that self-love lies in the recognition and acceptance of one's own consciousness and truth as being inherently amazing and beautiful.
• Expanding the sense of self-love: The primary step to practicing self-love, as suggested by Leo, is to expand one's sense of self and love. This involves embracing all aspects of one's existence, even those that one dislikes or hates. It's suggested that one looks for things they despise or reject, and then attempts to accept these aspects as parts of their reality. This practice is aimed at expanding one's sense of self and love by accepting reality as it is in all its aspects.
• Understanding and embracing judgment and hate: Leo explains that whenever we judge or hate something, we should accept and embrace it as part of ourselves. This process involves expanding our sense of self to include whatever we judge or hate. This practice helps to unify love and truth because we can accept reality as it is only by loving what it is, thus making truth and love identical.
• Recognizing and accepting the diversity of consciousness: Leo continues that consciousness is remarkably infinite and includes a broad array of elements – everything from insects to humans, from planets to galaxies, and from saints to sinners. This infinite diversity is us– all part of our consciousness. Embracing our true nature involves accepting our reality, including everything we perceive as pleasant or unpleasant.
• Connection of various teachings to self-love: Leo explains that every subject, idea, or concept he discusses ultimately converges and leads towards the realization and embodiment of self-love. Topics such as quantum mechanics or spiral dynamics, which may not seem directly connected to self-love, play their part. They are stepping stones towards comprehending and experiencing self-love.
• Self-love as a touchstone and compass: Leo emphasizes the importance of self-love in navigating life, especially during periods of confusion or stress. Reflecting on how self-love is lacking in any challenging situation can provide guidance.
• Lack of education on self-love: Leo points out the absence of self-love teaching in institutions from schools and universities to workplaces and religious establishments. He believes this lack of focus on self-love education contributes significantly to societal problems. Although self-love has been a teaching of sages, mystics, and religious leaders throughout history, it often gets obscured or misinterpreted as a set of beliefs or dogmas.
• Diverse understanding of love: Leo also acknowledges that different spiritual teachers may have varied perspectives on love. Some enlightened masters might dismiss love as an illusion, which Leo suggests may be due to not having awakened to love themselves yet.
• Different degrees of awakening: Leo points out that awakening comes in many degrees and versions, it's not uniform, and it took him several instances of awakening to truly understand the concept of self-love.
• Homework for self-love improvement: Leo advises making a list of all the aspects about oneself that one doesn't love such as physical appearance, past actions, personality, health condition, etc, and then deciding to embrace and love all of these aspects as part of one's reality.
• The struggle of embracing self-love: There is a struggle and resistance in embracing self-love because the ego part of oneself wants to be an ideal self that one envisions, not accepting one's true self as it is, which is the truth.
• Truth and love are identical: The understanding that love and truth are actually the same at a metaphysical level, meaning a full awakening can't happen without understanding love. This is because for something to be true, it has to be as it is and not some other way that you want it to be.
• Impact of self-love: If one loves oneself completely, one would have no more problems left in life. Consequently, any problem in life is a result of not completely loving oneself.
• Using Actualized.org: Leo encourages viewers to visit his website, Actualized.org and consider supporting his work via Patreon. He highlights the importance of exploring past content from Actualized.org to fully understand his teachings, acknowledging that his work is voluminous and requires invested time to comprehend deeply.
• Leo's dedication to depth: The overall aim of his work is depth. He likens shallow understanding of complex concepts to insufficient sexual intercourse, explaining that true understanding and appreciation come from deep exploration. He encourages viewers to give it a shot and study his work thoroughly for years, believing it worth the effort.