10 Important Things You Don't Know You Want
By Leo Gura - July 11, 2016 | 103 Comments
Re-examining your self-improvement goals.
Lorenzo says: Can I assume that if I get truth I get the rest of the items?
a general comment…I wonder why Leo you levae a transcript for some of your videos and not others? I love the transcripts…I am a bit slow at 70!! hhh
Leo Gura says: Real Truth is not something you can possess.
Lorenzo says: let me rephrase that. Can I assume that if Isee truth I get the rest of the items? you got my point- i assume
Leo Gura says: Well, you can’t even see it. Cause there’s nothing to see and no you to see nothing.
That point aside, you can make all sorts of assumptions, but is that a risk you really wanna take? Why do you need this assumption? What are you running from?
Lorenzo says: I’m mostly curious. I imagined that all this other items are a natural unfolding of being the truth based on memories of some fleeting experiences and how it felt like. But then again, there’s no I to be curious, or remember.
Not everyone wants to live like some kind of FUCKING RECLUSE leo even if they value simadhi and are open minded
Not everyone wants to live like some kind of FUCKING RECLUSE just bc people are lying devils some people like lying devils haha
WingWizard says: Please make more episodes addressing :
. Neediness (Please do address this one)
. Mastery and Skill
. Psychological flaws and weaknesses of the mind
. Mechanism of all human emotions in detail
. Overcoming embarrassment (Personal and public)
. Risk Taking
. Meditation
. Spiritual Cleansing (Please do this one)
I have no words to thank you for your work.
–
One of your consistent viewer.
Jessica says: you took the words right out of my mouth
Josie 
Kevin says: One of your best and most important. Thanks for putting these into words brother.
Elizabeth Thorsnes says: You need to stop how you are doing what you are trying to do. I am bright and open and interested and educated and intrepid and so forth. I was immediately attracted to you, to your ideas and messages, because there was nothing lightweight about what you had to say. But you lost me rather quickly, because you went on and on. You insult people, and then they can’t hear you, and you make these insulting comments on a regular basis (yap yap yap) (you don’t have control over your mind) (and more, every other comment you make). And you go on and on for an hour each time you are in the mood to vent your ideas. There is an old saying, do you want to fight or do you want to win? Win, in this case, meaning communicating. You are not winning. You have your very brave audience dropping like flies. Really. You must like to fight. You have somehow missed some really important insights about how to work with others.
Alex says: He has to go on and on though. I’m NOT bright. Dumbasses like me need constant reminders, and need to be told certain things over and over.
I personally am not insulted by this is need this
Alex C says: Leo,
You should listen to Elizabeth here. She is right on. You are being ineffective.
When you insult people like you have done in a few of your videos now, your message just doesn’t come through.
If your goal is to help people, drop the “your life is screwed up, you are a dumbass” attitude towards your audience. It’s a turn off and I have a hard time taking you seriously when you do this. Hope you take this as constructive feedback.
Erlend says: I believe though, that the reason why he is making statements that can be offensive and insulting is because that is what most of the audience needs to her. We need that harsh, fucking reality check. We need to hear exactly whats going on, straight to the point – not beat around the bush.
Uldis says: Poor Leo. He has lost Elizabeth Thorsnes who is bright and open and interested and educated and intrepid and so forth as a follower. What a shame !
I don’t pity Elizabeth Thorsnes. She’ll find another guru who is polite and with much more faith that she has very effective control over her mind.
But, seriously, Elizabeth, throw all that garbage (bright and open and interested and educated and intrepid and so forth) away ! Life will be much easier
Jerzy says: Outstanding comment!
Tom says: Oh yes Leo is winning, and he is helping others to win too, only you feel too imsulted by what he says, is your ego that important? Open-mindedness please
sandy carter says: Why not just start to question who this “me” is?
coz says: “You need to stop how you are doing what you are trying to do”
looks like YOU need to find some other videos to watch and Leo’s might not be for you, but who are you to tell anyone to stop how they are doing something? you might not agree with his delivery, thats fair.. and then . go control some other corner of the internet. bye
Mike says: You disappoint me elizabeth. i can gardly believe your claim of having seen several of leo’s content, because if u have, you’d kno that the mind or most minds are stubborn to change & need the bullying here & there. i know mine certainly does. Youd also kno that leo doesnt just do this for you, but moreso i believe, for himself
ROMARIC says: That is a shame Elizabeth. That is your ego talking here. You can list all the things you have or possess in your life, but if you get offended by these little things that other people do not even notice, you need a big wake up call. You can go and listen to other Gurus, it is the same tactics they use. WE HUMANS do not like change, and these tactics help. I listen to people like himself at least 16hrs/24hrs. I even sleep listen to subliminal affirmations, and other gurus. The reason is simple, our mind does not like change. You need to be radical with it in order to see change.
Anya says: Dear Elizabeth,
Your entire message here is that of your ego. It feels insulted because it is too attached to its identity. It hears the “how” of the message versus the message itself and feels that it’s identity is threatened. It hears the “YOU”, the curses etc., as a personal attack. Something has brought you to want to hear these messages but at this point, looks like the ego is putting up road blocks which it will continue to do forever without consistent and persistent work. Once you see your reaction as a response of your ego and once you take your reaction/feelings as feedback that there is more work to be done, you will encounter a certain freedom which can only propel you forward on this journey. This is hard work and it can take a lifetime to come to some realizations, but that is fulfilling in itself. I hope we can all enjoy the journey despite all these challenges. Best to you.
Janice says: I laugh at his insults because I know they’re true. People who get insulted and drop Leo just aren’t ready to hear the truth.
El says: Hi Leo!
Out of these 10 things, have you achieved/experienced all of them or have you just read about some of them?
//El
Peter says: Enlightenment is the answer. How do I get them is the question.
Leif Newberg says: Long time watcher. I resonated with this video more than any other you have ever done because I feel it speaks from more of an emotional standpoint. I had been genuinely disregarding the term purpose, treating as a weapon of control by society. This video helped to redefine purpose for me.
Christine says: I do want each of these things you talk about. Problem is you can’t really talk aboit these things without others thinking you are weird. I have simplified my life, got rid of the car, cable, have more down time…..listen to your videos every week for over a year now. So I am very grateful that you are talking about these issues. Keep it up!
Sandy carter says: Leo, you nailed it when you said, “I’m running the
same software.” It’s amazing that even after I’ve looked at the program that is supposed to be this me, and and looked at it countless times, it still runs like clockwork. It is just like a machine. There are the moments when it is clear that I am Awareness with nothing attached to that, but the energetic hold of the program is still pretty relentless. It’s like going through this separating process where countless beliefs, claiming to be this composite personality, are seen as the imposition on Awareness, which of course isn’t personal.
Emily says: you mention being a benevolent force which includes being a better doctor; healing, fixing, etc. but in order to be a “good” doctor, one must adhere to the strict bureaucratic rules of becoming a physician. one must act a certain way, dress a certain way, present patients in a certain way, study in a certain way, etc. it’s all a cookie cut path laid out for you to follow, and lest you stumble upon a different path you’ll be ostracized from the group. residencies won’t take you if you don’t make a certain score on the USMLE licensing exam. how can becoming a doctor then, at least in today’s society, be a benevolent, actualized, enlightened process? how can i get rid of all the trappings of society and still reach my goal of becoming a physician? in case you hadn’t noticed from my comment, i’m studying to become a doctor, but am extremely confused on what that means for my enlightenment “training.” i do feel a certain calling to this profession; i believe i’m “meant” to be a healer, but all the hoops i have to jump through to get there make it seem like the game is rigged and the system is designed to hone a certain subset of the population for this position in society (in other words, it conditions you). so if we’re supposed to live simply as if we’re alone on a deserted island, how do i resolve the issue of becoming conditioned as a physician? is there room for enlightenment in modern medicine? i’m just so confused… any help or guidance from anyone in this forum would be greatly appreciated!
sandy carter says: I’d like to respond to what you posted. There is always room, in any field, for a more enlightened approach and perspective.
The difficulty is that seeking enlightenment is a full time endeavor, as is pursuing the goal of becoming a doctor. If that is the primary goal, then meditation, mindfulness, reading, etc. can take a lesser role until the first goal is accomplished. Spiritual work, with its end goal of knowing there is no finite or personal self, can be a life long process. The one difficulty that seems most obvious is that medical school teaches the belief in matter and personal minds. A dedication to spiritual awakening involves seeing through the illusory sense of a personal mind and material body. It is letting go of the material paradigm to one extent or another. Try one thing at a time for a year? Be immersed in it and decide.
Leo Gura says: Why do you insist on becoming a typical physician?
There are many natural health practitioners who are not MDs, and they probably help more people than an MD ever could.
Think outside the bureaucratic box.
Lindsay says: Hi Emily,
I felt like you did when I was in law school. I worried that I was on the wrong path. Once I finally got my license and found the right position all of those worries eventually went away. I think what it comes down to is- Being a student is stressful because it’s about YOU. Your achievement, your grades, your future, your rank, etc. Once you’re working and serving OTHERS it’s not as complicated. But you have to trust the process and find your people. It takes time but it’s worth it. Good luck
Carrie says: Hi Leo,
Thanks for bringing this list to my attention. I’ve reflected on every single one here and I know that I have thought about each one at some point in my life. A few of them I went after, and others I pacified and have long forgotten, while others I’ve brought into my life unconsciously. I forgot how important they were to me. Maybe a lot of them seem so familiar to me because of all the enlightenment and life purpose work I’ve been doing. Maybe it just comes out naturally when you do these things. I see how important they are and I understand how material wealth, items, sex, relationships, etc. can only give you instant gratification for so long. The Buddhists , a religious label, call it the beginner’s mind because it’s brand new. But TRUE sustained happiness comes from within the mind, having a vision, life purpose, and pursuing enlightenment. The Truth comes from seeing the Truth.
I’m a little confused though because a few of the things you mention here contradict a little bit of what you say in your life purpose course. I won’t get too specific here out of respect for you. But you mention hard work to get success but we crave a life that is effortless. So we should work hard so we can have an effortless life? You also mentioned that we need a life purpose to make a change in the world, yet we need to remain anonymous, free, no labels, a nobody. So do we make a difference in the world, but you don’t have to make yourself famous or visually available for everyone to see? It’s about the act of giving which is where you receive fulfillment, not by showing off and stroking the ego. But I’m sure there is way to have both contradicting ideas work and not have any ideology at all. I’m sure I can figure it out now, now that I know I’ve been lost and was living an illusion this whole time.
You were very authentic in this video to say the least. I can see the magic and spark for life in your eyes as you seem more spontaneous than you normally would in your other videos. I can see how dispassionate you are. You have become completely independent with your business and your personal development. No longer needing relationships to feel adequate. What a gift to have. I’ve had fleeting moments where I’ve experienced that. And I’m sure you’ve mastered yourself so well that you feel that these videos are completely effortless. I’ve noticed over the last year and a half I’ve watched your videos you’ve become detached to things, and you don’t really give us any definitive answers. You let us figure them out on our own. I don’t know much about Vipassana or Samadhi but I can see that you definitely achieved those things or at least are conscious enough to bring them to our awareness. I see how much you give to others. How much you want to make an impact in the world by sharing the Universe’s answers and by living a simplistic lifestyle that I’ve seen you speak of in your forum posts. Thank you for leading a good example. I can see how happy you are because you already have them a part of your life. Now I see the importance of attaining them.
Carrie
donna says: Hi Leo, I am so confused after watching your video. If I do nothing and meditate all day, how do “I” survive?? If this body does not survive, then how do I get the chance to get enlightened?
Thank you.
Confused Donna
Leo Gura says: I didn’t tell you to meditate all day.
donna says: I am not rich right now, so do you mean I still need to spend most of my time working on survival issues instead of working on enlightenment? In that case, I will be slower in personal developement than people who already don’t need to worry about money issues.
Leo Gura says: No, you need to realize that money is an excuse. Enlightenment and self-actualization are not something you do after you’re rich. You do it now! Start by getting your life priorities straight.
Jamie says: Hey leo, have you ever felt extremely disgusted or like complete shit? Has anything severely traumatic or shameful ever happened to you in the course of your life? How does one deal with insane level shit and a tornado of uncontrolled past shit thoughts and feelings?
sandy carter says: Learn to see that whatever is in this tornado is other than you.
The contents of the tornado are impersonal and unreal. The only you there can actually be is the one infinite, indivisible Awareness.
It can feel like a tornado or a constant onslaught, but it never makes a someone. The i always refers to awareness. All that can be true about you is awareness. There is never really a “someone” that can be attacked by the tornado. Wish I knew of a quick and easy way to offer. Our “job” is to recognize we are awareness, not the garbage.
Jamie says: Thanks for the reply, Sandy, but I am psychological fucked. My thoughts are stabbing my conscience with with something severely embarrassing I did. I cannot remotely apply this high level theory you are speaking of. My past thoughts are fucking with me.
sandy carter says: Please, this is not a high level theory. Each one of those statements made – “I am fucked”; ” I did something severely embarrassing; my thoughts are fucking with me”- is part of a mental recording that will continue running on a loop causing suffering until the entire recording is seen to be a lie and imposition. The “you” that is referred back to does not exist.
When the suffering becomes too much to bear, and there is tremendous yearning to be free of it, it will be recognized as the lie it is. This recording wants to perpetuate itself by running its narrative continually. It is the equivalent of a machine. Eventually, You, awareness, will discover you are not the recording.
Leo Gura says: There are many degrees of that possible.
I don’t get the worst forms of it, but I do have my mini-crisis moment here and there.
You set up good habits and discipline yourself to keep your eye on the ball: your life purpose and consciousness work.
Jamie says: You just don’t seem disturbed or even slightly emotional in any of your episodes.
What kind of mini crisis do you have? You don’t seem affected by them.
Leo Gura says: I’m emotional in most of my episodes. Just not in a neurotic way.
You have to understand that what you see of me in a 60 minutes video is a performance. You do not know me. You have no idea what goes on in my mind. Never assume you know a person from watching their videos.
Starting with your saying “you are not you” and ending with this video, I think you are the “Devil”.
Cov 
Majus says: The actual funny thing is that by developing and conditioning oneself to be more mindful, one is automatically working towards those points you raised here
Notice the equanimity, the clarity (e.g. being “sober”) and the concentration power (you need in samadhi).
Ultimately, we want mindfulness, we want reality.
Keep up the faith
Lim Car says: Thanks Leo, it is helping me a LOT to stick around all this stuff. I have quit my job in the beginnig of this year to dedicate my time to absorve myself more in meditation and the other things. And is giving fruits all the efforts from me and yours too. Where in the fucking world would I meet something like this? can somebody answer? Greetings from Bolivia
Mary says: What’s the problem with getting a phd and then either become a professor or do research work? (In the engineering field)
Leo Gura says: The problem is the unconscious way you do it, and the fact that you may not pursue that path at all if you were more aware of yourself.
jeffrey says: Leo you said we want somaty. I’ve been trying to look into somaty experiences but can’t find anything on the web. How exactly do you spell somaty. I’m really trying to look deeper into this.
Leo Gura says: Samadhi
Tomas says: Thx Leo! I am watching you every week probably like the majority, and I have to say big thank you for that episode. At the beginning of my journey with actualized.org I was only listening and learning english and the subject of your video wasn’t as much important. Few months ago something has changed and I am different person right now. You gave me some hints how to take control over my life and I am grateful for that. From that time I started worry that you will quit this great project, because of all hate and misunderstood which we can find in comments below some of videos. I hope that this day will never come!
You are great guy!
Mike says: My thoughts exactly, long live actualized.org & and an infinitely large THANKS to leo! Work like this is what the world needs to move towards conciousness.
& what a blessing of an age that will be
paula says: good one Leo! thank you
Sam says: Leo you are my IDOL!! Thanks for your guidance.
Nima says: Leo,
these thoughts are cutting edge, however there’s a problem. You oppose having beliefs by mentioning our need to have a dispassionate mind. beliefs are important to maintain ideas, and protect them from being affected by others opinions. So if I do not acquire a firm belief in what you are talking about, how can I make sure that they will last long in my mind, and therefore affect my life in a positive way?
Leo Gura says: No, no, no!
Do not turn what I say into an ideology or belief system. Nothing I say is to be believed or defended. It only needs to be EMBODIED! Turning this stuff into beliefs is the worst form of evil.
Cut that out!
Patrick H says: Simple, but not easy. Thank you Leo from a student that is starting meditation practice today…again.
Thomas says: Why do you like to tarnish every, single, last, good thing you say with a slew of negative affirmations?
You are actually jealous because you know I am a writer, so you produced this gigantic whole videos to prove you are the optimum, hilarious to you, I did not write these books to show off, neither do i master all the skins in them, I wrote them because i had a mindset about them, any way you embarrass others through directing these videos to me though i know you are a tyrant and you put me in your mind, if you don’t stop perpetuating me, i don’t know, i don’t like , your evil pictures, you tryin to suspect people in themselves, you are not normal, see a psychiatrist, bya
Elisabeth says: Thank you for the video, Leo.
Like my namesake and others have said, I too felt there was a little too much emphasis on all the things I don’t have in this video, making me feel inadequate more then motivated. Unfortunately I hadn’t taken notes the first time, and wanted to, so I had to watch it again – but I wasn’t really looking forward to it due to all the stuff around.
I have a lot of resistance to the content though (it really did feel like ideology to me this time), and questions. I think I’ll post a few of them later… though I get that the points I didn’t understand at all cannot be conveyed to me yet.
Hesam says: Is me reading my friends(not very close) comments in a private social media group stupid? (About 1000 comments per day)
I’m only doing it cause I don’t wanna miss out on anything.
Nicole says: Thank you so much Leo! You’re so appreciated by me and I cannot thank you enough for the great info you share. Thank you thank you thank you )
Joe Duke says: Hey Leo, I’ve seen every one of your videos and I am on the mailing list, I do my best to integrate all of your information. We walk congruent paths and we really do run the same software. I have a clarifying/ positive edge to the constructive criticism going off of what Elizabeth and Alex said.
I can understand your lack of direct reply when they target an aspect without offering a solution!
like Alex and Elizabeth and certain other listeners, I noticed right away when I first listened to you that you say YOU whenever you speak of less developed, less actualized, less enlightened people. Everything you have said using these YOU statethese as you do has been accurate and informative, you do get the point across about “most people” and the general lower consciousness population we see in day to day life. However, these people are not your listeners. The most effective software update we can share, is more careful use of the pronoun YOU.
The difference is subtle. I myself easily just adjust every time you say these blanket YOU statements, and I realize you really mean to say some people, our past selves, lower consciousness humans, most people, The Less Realized Self etc. but definitely You do not always mean to target the listener or me with these “insults” as Elizabeth put it. It takes longer to say” the less realized people out there” than it does to say “YOU”. Do not let that stop you, the precise truth is worth our time, your time.
I myself have struggled with this flaw in our English software, so I am sympathetic to your case. The simple solution to not step on other Self Actualizers like Elizabeth, Alex and Thomas above is to avoid blanket You statements the same way the higher self will avoid “should” statements (my favorite of your messages is the stop moralizing video, it has transformed my software in a profound somatic sense to realize nothing is inappropriate, everything is as it ‘should’ be. THANK YOU), everyone/ everything/ worst ever/ best ever etc. Exaggerations are all abstractions of human melodramatic reality. YOU IS AN UNGROUNDED ABSTRACTION. In actual reality, some of your listeners may be more enlightened, higher vibration, more connected with the Truth than even you. Speaking for the people who are close to that, we would like it if you will your self to take the time to speak more accurately about your dear listeners.
That’s really the only tip I have for you. Keep going Leo, I believe in you. I would have said this on my first listen in but I wanted to make the change myself and know it is effective before I recommend it to you. It’s going to be a recurring problem until it’s solved. I do not see it as negative though. I’ve been saying the self, the higher self, the lesser self/ disconnected self in place of blanket You statements with success.
Thanks again for all you do matey. One Love
Leo Gura says: It’s meant to be a slap across the face. That’s the style of teaching I offer.
If this style doesn’t work for you, you’re welcome to go to other teachers. They will be polite and proper with you. I won’t. I exaggerate and dramatize because that’s what I feel is effective given my audience. My audience is very broad. I’m not like a Zen master who only speaks to a group of highly motivated, highly specialized students. I speak to everyday people who are deeply deeply lost.
And even those of you who think of yourselves as intermediate or advanced students. Let me tell ya, you’re still quite lost. And you still need a slap across the face, maybe even moreso
Once you become enlightened, then the slapping across the face can stop. But until then, you’re basically lost in a dream, and I will continue enjoying slapping you across the face once in a while to get you to realize your own stupidity.
My aim is not to be clinically objective in my videos. My aim is to arouse emotions in you. It’s a 21st century sermon.
There are pros and cons to every teaching style, including the one I’ve chosen for now.
sandy Carter says: Leo,
I love your teaching style. I absolutely need teaching that penetrates the fog or mesmerism. I can feel very lost and isolated
in this dream sense even with all of the work I’ve done.
It just doesn’t yield easily. Thank you for your commitment to this.
Elisabeth says: Joe, thank you. And I know what Leo is doing, I’m just stating where it is to much for me. I don’t consider myself developped, and wouldn’t dare suggest his slaps don’t apply (well maybe here and there it’s like ‘oh I’ve already learned that a bit how cool’).
Some other videos are perfectly polite. This one is not to the point where I don’t want to watch it again. Being emotional is great, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Leo will have his own line. I state mine – and I realize for him it’s just one information among many.
Joe Duke says: On an entirely other note, I would love to see you speak on the method of Loci, lucid dreaming to achieve a lucid life and near perfect memory recall. I’ve been working on lucid dreaming control with flow for years now and I am finally able to dream on command without specific drugs or patterns other than the will to Manifest, a little yoga and meditation to ease into it. I would like to have photographic memory one day and I am getting much closer, I now think in 4 dimensions like a 3d movie, moving through time and space only time and space are relative and I can change speed or size to achieve maximum efficacy for the Creation I can handle.
As for the method of Loci, I file special thoughts/ dreams/ ideas, projects in different rooms in a mental palace. Special people in my life have their own guest room in my mind where I can travel to see them, share a brief dream and return to my self. Rids me of missing them and wishing things were different. There is a room for my shadow self, there are future parts of me in which any experience I have in the future has given me Deja Vu when I arrive at the real point and time. I have found this to be the most effective means to expedite my actualization. A very legit way to ground spirituality in my mind, and my mind into soulful feelings, free to express & Manifest. Imagine it, do it, be it, right?
It has become difficult to meditate openly on nothing now that I am drawn to this Place if you will. It is like a new language I learned and now when I turn off English thoughts these dreams come online and I am perplexed at their convincing realness. Lately I am unable to hold nothing, something new always comes to communicate a previously unconscious agenda with me. What say you to exploring my mind as a 4d metaphor? I’d like a little bit of direction from other people in this timeline… It’s difficult to only progress without other ‘real’ human mirrors, seeing as how Loci himself is no longer around. Help?
Elahe says: Leo,
I have been watching your videos more than a year. I am a BIG fan, BUT I was kind of disappointed by this video, not because of the content of it which was awesome! but the way it was presented. You are so passionate about what you want to share that some time, especially in this video, you lose control and offend people by using words like stupid or too many F words. I understand that might be a method for waking up the people who are SLEEP but it was sort of irritating.
Since I have started the journey of enlightenment I have noticed, the more I learn and the more my eyes open to the reality and Truth, the more I understand to what a large extent people around me and around the world are SLEEP and do not value reality and self-improvement work. It is very disappointing. My friends tell me that I have changed a lot and I agree with them but when they ask how and I share your videos with them, they rarely watch them and they do not get excited about it at all. As time pass and my perspective to life changes, I can no longer enjoy their accompany. But since I get lots of fulfillment from what I do, self-improvement works, I do not really care. My concern is as I improve, I may reach to the point where I have nothing to say and share with people I have known for my whole life (both family and friends) and since there are very very few people who are in the same journey of enlightenment as I am I imagine myself end up being isolated. That reminds me of yogis and Monks. But it is scary to me at this point and I do not want to be a yogi or Monk, at least not know. When I watched this video and I noticed your negative emotions toward people who are fully SLEEP. It scared me even more.
Please advise.
Thank you Leo for all the effort you put in these videos.
stephanie says: Leo, is there a place where you recommend seminars or retreats you have taken yourself? You sometimes mention the ones you just came from, but I’m wondering if there is an official list.
Leo Gura says: There is not because I didn’t want these small seminars flooded with people.
I want to help you guys find good seminars though. I’m still thinking of the best way to do this. I’ll probably create a resource list for my newsletter subscribers or for a small fee, so that only serious people apply.
Jerzy says: I do not want to fall asleep anymore!!!
Piotr says: Great video! Straight to the point and very inspiring. Pretty advanced stuff and served in digestible manner.
One thing that I’d argue with is that pushy manner and remark about spiritual teachers being not so straightforwart out of “politeness”. I think this is matter of responsibility which grows with the influence a teacher has. This is also related with fact that each person should decide on their own about undertaking the journey so teachers job is rather to inspire and make people more independent rather that pushing and preaching them to any specific action. And here is why.
Real consciousness work involves a lot of emotional pain. If somebody has underdeveloped self-protective mechanism can simply drown in this pain (eg. by negative spiral of bad emotion – bad thoughts – even worse emotion – even worse thougths etc). So that’s why for example some Buddhism schools advice psychoteraphy prior to entering the path.
Budda taugth about 84000 combinations of disturbing emotions giving many different teachings for different personality types. Regardless of precision of this figures this shows how indiviudal each case is and how it depends on right path / teacher / circumstnces one meets to develop efficiently and how therefore can be the lifespan ratio of learning (and enduring extra pian) vs. “happiness”.
So I agree that highest view should be revealed to allow people to decide on their own but with the caveat that the result cannot be guaranteed, appear spontaneously or sometimes simply not appear! Plus path can be sometimes extremely treacherous and drag them down to state of depression. So therefore nobody will judge them for going party to Ibiza pursuing “high-end samsara” instead of searching for unconditioned happiness.
Smith says: Thank you!
Jess B says: Wouldn’t it be something to go out for a walk when you feel life has gone stale from spending hours and hours of self inquiry in one sitting? i find myself asking me this very question just now.. ..wonderfully recorded Leo, as always your recordings are thought provoking.
Leo Gura says: You can do self-inquiry while walking.
Ben McMillan says: Whoa! Lots of slapping involved right there. Honestly, I know I don’t get it all. Watched a heap of your videos and am currently working through the course. it feels like you just articulated a bunch of tiny little concepts that have crawled through my head at some point but I have’t had whatever it is you have to hone in on them enough to create any congruent thoughts. Thanks for doing the hard work. Please email me when you have the pill ready. Until then, I will keep watching and working.
Dear Leo, Thank you. I am happy that I found you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing right now, I hope that you know someone is smiling in your direction, full of good will and gratitude for your very unique while altogether very similar personhood! Just as you make these videos for us all, I make art from time to time. If it strikes your fancy, scroll down to view some art at… Instagram: nicoleariannafoxartist I hope you are feeling marvelous in this moment. I’m positive you deserve it. Most sincerely, Nicole Arianna Fox
Radhika says: Hello leo
Nice video but there is this one thing that i would ask (it might sound stupid because i dont know much about this stuff.)
what is it that we want is it that we want to be conscious to be aware or we just want to let ourself go with the flow like you said intoxicated
or is it that the consiousness mean to let everything happen and sit back and observe everything. Its just that i wanted to know what is it that i am actually looking for.
And then the sensation of samadhi when you actually feel that the thing is a part of yourself is it same as the feeling when you watch a movie or may be a show and you try to be the character inside the show in all those circumstances except you have the control on your sensation and not the director or is it completely different?
Thanks again for a wonderful video
Laurie says: This video moved me to tears
Thank you Leo
Milind says: Hello Leo,
I watched some of your videos, especially the one on “What Should I Do With My Life – How To Find Your Passion For Life”, and I must say, it has given me a direction to look at the current situation from a very different perspective. I have been working in Oil and Gas Industry and at present times when I am already 53 years old, the market situation is compelling me to find some different avenues, since revival of the industry I am attached to looks distant. Thank you for the message you have tried to give through your video.
jessy says: Samadhi reached at number 10. Very gracious
ElAraki Mounir says: Hi Leo,
If someone is already conscious of all these 10 things, and he actually wanted them sometimes in his/her lifetime, does it mean he/she is in the right path?
Noorhani says: Thank you very much, Leo.
Andrew says: Liked the video. Have had these kinds of discussions with myself.
Two basic thoughts:
1) Unless one lives in a monastery – for the vast majority of people – most of one’s energy and time will be pursuing less than fully authentic Being in order to survive/get by. Yes, some lifestyles/careers can be more aligned with the goal of authentic Being. But for most people, the goal of authentic Being will be a side goal, energy- and time-wise.
2) Setting authentic Being as a goal itself can be (and almost always is) usurped by the ego – so that the goal of authentic Being becomes what some have termed “spiritual materialism” – a pursuit like any other ego-driven, materialist pursuit. This is particularly a danger for someone like Leo who has positioned himself as a “teacher” or an “advanced personal developer.”
Experiencing authentic Being is more a byproduct of seemlessly incorporating certain “practices” (yes, a loaded term, but take your pick) as habits that are done for their own sake – without trying to get something out of them yet seeing the positive effects they have on one’s life. (Yes, I’m favoring gradual vs sudden breakthrough here because, even with sudden breakthroughs, it takes years to clear out the resulting debris anyway.)
shar says: Leo,
What you say makes sense but the way it is delivered makes me angry and protective of your audience because you sound so dogmatic and coming from a place that is superior/pejorative. You sound like someone who is incredibly assumptive about what is happening for his audience without really knowing what is happening for others. There is a dogma in your ideas regarding relationships, attachment, and while I agree with some of it, a lot of it feels like spiritual bypassing. We all have this wisdom in us and it’s okay for people to want love, relationships, passion, and identity. At the same time, we can also have the non-identity state, releas attachments (while feeling them) and care about things. Unless you have all the things you espouse, I don’t know how you can tell others what they really want.
Lovely. coincidentally ,or not, I spoke about the same issues on my group today. Not as in depth or as coherently obvious, . but i’ll get there How do you deal with being the barer of bad news? how do you deal with the fact that you have to tell peopel that they are stupid. that we are all stupid in fact. lol ahhh man. how do you cope when you ask people to get off their asses when they just want someone , anybody to hand them The Magick Pill?
pulok mukerjee says: Leo,
i find your videos very gripping and eye opening
i am 61 and have started on your start here section,
read some books on your list as well
i have been into self development books for some years now
i am now into youtube videos and audios
of the few speakers i i have been listening to,
I find your videos and approach very contentfull and forthright, no nonsense
but it seems i am into stuff that you have made in 2016
although i will be continuing ,
i want to access your current uploads
like reading a bit from the rear of the book
how can i do this
Thanks a lot
pulok
Max Gron says: Why do people spend some valuable time on success, sex and money? Because that stuff pleases them. But given spiritual paths to wake up to, you don’t want a typical life of satisfaction, you want a peaceful life of thinking, samadhi experiences etc, but why are you telling me what I should want? I want samadhi experiences, life to be magical, etc, I don’t want stupid shit like affluence, sex and success, I’m with you all the way.
Max Gron says: Leo, let’s not jump to conclusions, sure I don’t want to be a genius or supergenius or cool or arrogant or a show off or pushover, but I don’t want my five-year-old blank slate self, what I really want is no beliefs, only to believe in actualized.org and nothing else and to be stage green, I want to understand your teachings and not be like a child. As for my thinking it’s my thinking I want as a blank slate, I just want my own individual reflection without spirituality, being sage like I used to be, that’s what I really want.
Max the shithead says: My life is magical again, it’s wonderful, no bad stuff, and there’s my dispassionate mind back again, and I say some of those things you listed that I spent years arguing and debating about, feels better than my heartless life over your spirituality, and for this, thank you.
Maxiwrong says: I want existence to feel magical again, like when I was 6 years old murdering the trombone, it’s bloody well funny! Blowing it loudly, I was the class comedian. I wasn’t some idiot doing some feeble-minded things, I was the genius behind watching movies with sex scenes and listening to “I’m too sexy”, well good luck letting your teacher see your steamy sex drawing doodled in your exercise book! I think that drawing is cute. Why can’t a man just suck his dick in front of scissors so I can cut his hair putting the burden on his strength! Blow me! It’s stupid behaviour! Just be old already! Listen to 20s music and dress like a fucking old man! Learn to put your lips near a doctor’s arse so you can bite it! It’s unfortunate a life anyway, I’m not letting the doctor have all the glory, drink some water already! Stop eating those pasty, gluggy disgusting meat pies, why don’t you eat a faeces pie? Perhaps served with piss from my penis. Just smoke some napalm already, do the military a favour! Save lives by killing people in the war! Gun thrust in the enemy, be precisely a pseudo-patriot as a bloodthirsty soldier, just be stupid for once in your life, Max!
Maxiwrong says: Oh no! Am I a stage red person? You’re welcome, now go have some fun with a knife, run around with scissors, no no no, I’m stage red, that’s why I do what people hate. I never abuse anyone, so shut up and take the million dollars, and use it for whale hunting, my strategy is too simple, it’s to go kicking a TV and smashing it to pieces. If it’s pain you want, I promise you it’s just me armed with a Word document, if that’s pain, then you’re a silly, run amuck sort of rascal, yes, I punished someone before, and I’ll force you to understand! Being authentic, an authentic man with teeth way too white, and hair way too attractive, before I suck your dick, I’d like to say it’s a woman’s mouth I want to suck, wanking myself off, my cousin Andrew looks like a mole, and Hans Moleman must be a big success, isn’t he? Blind, 35 years old, talking in frail voice, can’t attract women, lives by himself. Of all these wants it’s the death of my new life, the idea is without all the rubbish. I have no money! That’s just my miserly savings that have decreased within a few months.