How Your Mind Distorts Reality
By Leo Gura - April 25, 2016 | 102 Comments
How to develop an accurate perception of reality.
Kev says: Excellent. This type of truth is flourishing and will eventually just be. Leo says thousands of years, I see it happening sooner. This also reminds me of the metaphysical teachings of A course in miracles. A miracle is defined as a shift in perspective from the worldly rational fear thought system to Non-rational Love – which is not a system at all….Or from the distorted judgmental self-agenda deficiency perspective to Being perspective as taught so well in this video by Master Leo. Being perspective is surrender to God or surrender to being. It is radical open-mindedness, it is arational, it is enlightenment, self-actualization, or whatever label you choose to give it. Leo, you are doing great things and I know you would humbly admit that there is a higher aspect of what your do that leads you and you can’t take credit for it as Leo but you are it as, I AM.
Sourabh says: Hey Leo,
Can lucid dreaming be used to reprogram the subconscious mind?
Brandon says: Was Maslow enlightened?
Kev says: Eventually
Leo Gura says: No
Kev says: Lol
what is rational says: interesting how ratio and tart (in other languages torte) are playing a game in which vocabulary and definition are rationalized into personal btw your egoic perspectives. especially interesting what you call rationality, as it unravels itself into: rationality equal insanity after removing initial meaning from the cake base.
Ramona says: I watched you for who you are for 5 minutes. You are trying to convince yourself to awake, while experiencing that intricate system of mind, body, emotions called Leo, Ramona, Larry, Ben, Lisa, etc. It’s breathtaking, yet I am not ready for the complete loss of the illusion since I experience a lot of fear and sadness when I see it.
Be says: How would a world be if everybody was self-actualized? Would that be what we think of ‘heaven’; no conflict and just sheer bliss? Would our differences disappear, would there be even enough tension to facilitate growth? Would the world implode into just subtle energy?? Would that be the end of suffering? I’m just trying to figure out if all that work is getting ‘us’ somewhere, or is it just to make “me” feel better???
Ryan says: aha,Right Ben? D:
makes you really think deep about what really that idealistic world would be..but it’s more imagination of what it would be..
not what it IS now in the moment..
We must accept i guess what is it actually right now and think about what can ‘we’ do here in ourselves to change our perceptions…that really, is what our important focus should really be on huh pal?
We dont need answers, I guess that would be rationalism..not giving you an answer because that in turn would be my opinion…
..We must heal down our desire to know and rationalize the answers to all our questions and just be aware of what experimentally is going on..I have no ‘answers’ just be aware buddy
-take care of your self friend
Kev says: Growth is illusion too. Our nature is changeless.
Ryan says: Hey Kev, Cool, it’s true huh?..
I don’t wanna change the existential human nature of my being here..and sure, growth is an illusion too, you’re totally right there
I don’t know bout yourself but I want to see my human nature of experiential existance for what it really and truly is and that doesn’t and will not really unravel it’s self if I am deluded and blind to it with my though stories of like (“yeah!! i’m gunnu do this and I will become this!”)..
it’s like haha “NOO” My nature is this here, not these things I think about it or delude myself about..
…you’re nature is funny in the way it can reveal it’s self sometimes..it’s in front of (us) all right now…
Ryan says: where do I begin..
..In the words that I want to accurately express right here?
I am lucky I have the deep wisdom within my psychology to see outside my meaningless and deluded self agenda..that everything has no in printed(meanings) like the ones we can assign to them
..The reality is just, there..My senses of being is within the construct of it and nothing in the reality in it’self is disconnected or separated, because it is all the same thing, there is no (object label) separations within the reality..
..heck, even what I am typing now is (knowledge) but it is the only way I can get my partial thoughts out there..
man, to be fully getting to the root of understanding and the (love) for what it is in reality existentially..you have to understand the fundamental basics to grasp it and fully embody it to you’re personal perception and experience..
Since I first watched Actualized.org, about hmmm, a year almost now ago..The new knowledge and truth concept frightened me, but I carried on..It scared me in January with the ‘Awareness’ video’s when mentioned (the destruction of you’re world view) I was scared but I followed through..
Now in April 2016..Ryan here, (I) no longer gives two craps about my own personal agenda or (ego) for say..
I fully can accept truths but I still think critically and independently (no dogma’s, opinions or beliefs though)
..still…I am not close yet to the awareness I must be at…yet I still listen to my heart (per say) I am so lucky on a grand scale for my high high high levels of independent critical thinking, my open-minded receptiveness and my overall…wisdom I possess..
so Damn lucky I can get this deep, then deeper and deeper…I dont need to get to a place or be a type of person…my experience exists and I am already there…
-I am Ryan…I have been able to see life as it is and that will continue..
peace
Kev says: Before you whither away into “nothingness” let’s not forget, we can’t give it printed meanings but consciousness has. It just is, printed, because it’s our nature and it is good. Consciousness will create a new earth once we reach the critical mass that forces the shift. That is the IMPRINT.
Ryan says: cool, now..let’s start with ourselves (you)
instead of getting in to idealistic views of how everyone on this planet ‘should’ or ‘could’ be pal
Kev says: been there done that.
Ryan says: (we) are already …it..just gotta understan the illusions independently..Personally I dont take Leo all wholesale and take it all in and say ok..I critically think and observe and I think for the sake of the false illusions my mind plays
damn though
cool huh?
Kev says: Nothing to argue about bud. Nothing.
Ryan says: Totally true..nobody ‘knows’ more than anybody else anywhere
personally I don’t particularly enjoy confrontation because it is meaningless..nothing is ‘true’…
Life is beautiful isn’t it?
..Damn
Kevin says: Yes!!!!!!!!
Enjoy your day!
Ryan says: and you Kevin…keeping it real and beautiful pal..byeee
-Ryan
Kevin says: Nothing is true because everything is true.
JR says: One thing that really helped me with this was to contenplate that EVERYTHING is generated. All reality is continously being generated by some energy.
Kristin says: Did you read “the stranger” by Albert Camus? This book thematizes this mindset that you describe up against morals. I think you might find it interesting
neil byrne says: I am taking action : ) you looked like you were nearly crying there at the end.
Rod Power says: Excellent content Leo !! Just wondering if you heard of a guy by the name of Eban Alexander … I’m sure you have. What do you think of his videos I really value your opinion,
Thanks,
Rod
Toni says: I suggest everyone read “How to See Yourself As You Really Are” by the Dalai Lama. It talks about the same concept that Leo is speaking about here. But what makes the book slightly different is that it explains what exactly it means for something to “not exist”. It talks about how things aren’t as we see them simply because we believe that they exists in a of themselves when in fact they exists and are DEPENDENT of other factors besides itself. It’s about breaking down an object, situation, person down to its simplest factors and trying to get us to release our exaggerations about a certain phenomena. Sometimes this concept can scare people and make them think that there’s nothing in life that’s actually there and can turn people into nilists – nothing wrong with that however it makes people act in ways that goes against their true nature. The book talks about the difference between emptiness and nothingness. It’s something you have to really sit with but it’s totally worth it.
Robert says: Hi Leo! Great info to help crack the Matrix code .
From which books are the Maslow and Bowen (is that his name?) quotes?
Thanks!
vladimir says: Hi leo,
why Maslow and not Shankara?
Why reality and not Shunyata?
Best wishes
Vladimir
Leo Gura says: Why not?
Charlie says: Leo,
It is such a relief to hear this. This addresses so many things I have struggled with my entire life.
Society seems to reward encourage adhesion to its rubrics, and reward tenacity.
Is a network news anchor really just a “rubricizer” ? ; )
Elif says: Hi Leo!
Thank you for the video
May I ask which one of Fromm’s books did you quote? I would like to read it.
PH says: This was great. One of the best lectures I’ve heard you give. My problem is that listening to you and other teachers(especially Adi Da Samraj) urge taking up some sort of practice(or else I will not get anywhere) for these sort of issues always leads to depression and a sense of futility in me. I can listen to Eckhart Tolle and not be depressed because I think the act of listening is itself a practice that is somewhat enjoyable in that case. Listening is something I think I can do- even though I might not be able to grasp every concept in the moment.
I think the practice I can do is listen, so I will keep on listening to you.
Thanks,
PH
Leo Gura says: You’re just being lazy.
Without 1000s of hours of practice, you will get nowhere. Bite the bullet now and start building habits, otherwise, kiss the quality of your life goodbye.
Kevin says: Lol
PH says: Ok,
I’ve listened to this a few more times. You have really proven yourself with the wisdom in this. I see the importance of it. I’ve had the deficiency cognition of thinking I was uniquely disqualified for the enlightenment path. I appreciate your butt kicking comment. I’m seeing how this very topic causes me great suffering in my life.
This talk makes me think of the scene in the Matrix where the kid is bending the spoon with his mind. Neo goes over to him and the kid says something like- there is no spoon.
Cristina says: Why you always say- oh I’m sure you don’t really understand, oh you think you’re aware but you’re really not, oh it makes no difference to you cause it’s very hard to change your perspective. to understand etc etc.? What’s the point of these videos if no one really understands you? You treat people who watch your videos like plain idiots, ignorant morons that are sleepwalking through life, totally unaware of themselves. Or you’re just trying to motivate people to become more aware and deep into really make a change within themselves? It’d be interesting to know how much of this philosophy came out of your inner thoughts and reflection on life and existence and how much is that you read in some books. There are really deep,profound people out there who already went through this but maybe there was nobody to articulate these inner reflections and perspective on life. You’re not wrong in your assumptions and I think you’re heading to a right destination, and it’s admirable at this age of yours,I am not much younger than you, but your attitude towards your watchers is sabotaging your ultimate goal (if that’s to help people get to the “light” ) Anyway, you’re definitely smart and have a lot to share and it’s also true that we live in a world full of idiots too lazy and ignorant to ever become preoccupied by self development, they don’t even understand the term, but let’s just assume the ones watching your videos are already on the path of self aware evolution and their own reflective nature and deepness brought them to you and they might have experienced or already felt these things. Don’t assume everyone’s ignorant and adrift, I’m sure there are some who only need you to remind them or articulate or confirm their own doubts, wondering, discoveries and intimate thoughts.
Leo Gura says: The depth of human ignorance and unconsciousness is so vast and deep it’s frankly indescribable in words and beyond the reach of human imagination. Anything I say about it is a gross underestimate.
But I get your point. Sometimes I wish I assumed my audience was more aware. But also keep in mind, everything I say to you, I am actually saying to myself.
Cristina says: Raise your standards Leo! There will always be people smarter than you in this world, and that’s really encouraging . Talk to those who reached your level, if you’re really talking to yourself and keep climbing the mountain till you reach the top. Those who deserve this valuable materials will get you,those who don’t,won’t even bother on working on themselves. The more you appreciate your audience the higher the standards. Wish you the best!
Marc says: Clients make me nuts, too.
We’re human.
Your stuff is wonderful, and it’s clear you are on the path.
You’re becoming, as those whom you’re working with, are becoming.
Non-pathological ego defenses are probably the best middle-way I can hope for; that is, for myself and/or for those with whom I work.
Suggestion: use more “I” statements in the place of all the times that you say “you”.
Wish I could actually meet you sometime.
I have a contract-based practice in Denver.
Marc Solzan, LCSW, CAC III
Approved Domestic Violence Treatment Provider
Dora says: Hi Leo,
This video is Great!!! It arrives at the perfect time on my life!!! Thank you so much!!!!
I do not have doubts that surrender the ego is a very worthy process even though is painful and I find myself doing it quite often… and I will be…
So if “My” perception of reality is that the clouds on my life are gifts on my journey that allowing me to move beyond my limitations (give me peace and freedom)
Question 1: Is that a distortion of reality still? It is that beautiful feeling that make me feel that is worthy a wish of my ego agenda?
Question 2:
For me is more easier to understand how my ego agenda gets a distortion of the regality on my everyday life; however, I still do not understand how “I” can surrender the ego so I can see reality (without judment )when massacres of people or animals, etc happen. I do need help there.
Thanks
Dora
Leo Gura says: 1) Sounds good on paper, but then why do you suffer and have negative emotional reactions every day? Why do you continuously feel broken?
Reframing reality via positive thinking is better than negative thinking, but it is not accurate perception, it is distortion. Nothing is positive or negative in reality. Those terms only make sense relative to an ego that stands to benefit or lose.
2) Take a massacre of people or animals and try to see it as it is, independent of your feelings or opinions about it. Go look at some holocaust photographs and don’t judge them. See them for exactly what they are. These things are not good or bad. Really! Notice how that is a personal attitude your mind is creating. Without a mind, nothing is good or bad. A rock doesn’t get upset that the holocaust happened, and it doesn’t care that terrorism happens. The rock is cool either way.
Kevin says: I see what you’re doing and I love you for it.
Victoria says: Thank you. thank you. thank you.
lilHuskyForrestGuy says: Leo???can I ask you some fundamental questions
1) can you see the vision of what yourself is thinking, feeling and experiencing after all this work say in, 20 years? or 60 years from now?
is it some kinda euphoria you want to achieve where you understand life so much and things are so clear that you are no longer blinded?
then what happens? :L the ultimate death surrender with no regrets and immense pride for understanding life
2) Importantly more so..right now how do you feel behind the fulfillment of growth and aware understanding?
3) How does somebody know if they are aware or unaware of their awareness??
4) How do you interact with the grocery store clerk now for example?
5) How do you interact with family, what’s you’re private life like?
6) Does your ego ever come out to play?
7) Is all this work another dead end?
is all this practical personal,social and psychological study the best thing we can do?
9) How do you identify if you’re already or not already aware..I for example, can see that there arent objects and it’s all just interconnected in reality, people, animals, things- there are no boundaries…are you aware if you can see this? how much more aware can you be?
10) if we died in an hour, would we be happy then? because, y’know we can. I guess that’s the whole point in doing this now then right? right?Leo!
Kevin says: Back to the linear. Lol even God doesn’t question his existence. Hell, he doesn’t question the flux of the future. To continue to question is to continue to be lost. To find that you are connected to source at the most fundamental level is liberation. I’m not sure what Leo is looking for sometimes but I see the value, yes the value in his content. If people are being liberated from their conditioning and suffering, there is value. Words mean things. Every word (of God) proves true.
Pat says: Leo,
Your words resonate with my heart. I have been feeling broken because I have not been able to live out my ego driven dreams. I am going to become homeless within the next week. While emotionally this is painful for me as I once was a successful professional, I realize this is a perfect opportunity for me to put aside ego and try to see reality without judgement.
As I am 54 years old, my thoughts tell me that I do not have enough time to do the work and become free of the entrapment of my ego and really grow into an enlightened individual. I know this is my own thought hindering my progress, but a word of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.
If I can truly see reality then I know I will be able to handle being homeless butt the paradigms and the labels scream in my head that I am a failure. I feel as though I am in The Crucible of life which will either Propel me forward or grind me into dust. I’m trying to say goodbye to my judgments and just let it be. This is the most difficult part of my path so far.
And I realize that all of this is my ego. I need help letting go.
Kevin says: Pat – Leo will tell you thousands of hours but a shift in perspective takes an instant. Different perspectives
Kevin says: An instant of Grace burns all karma instantly.
Ryan says: oh Kevin
Leo Gura says: 54?
Dude, with serious intent you could become enlightened in 2-3 years time.
WTF is this victim bullshit thinking?
Pat says: No victim bs….
The idea Leo shared is making going through what society holds in disdain easier. My reality is becoming homeless.
I was judging myself, just as you are.
Leo said things that helped me to let go of the meanings.
Thanks for those who encouraged me.
Pat says: Sorry, didn’t realize it was you Leo. You did speak to my heart with your recording. But your response to my post was far from what I expected from you after the exercise you had us do about just observing another person.
I guess I was hoping you would say that the circumstances don’t matter and that it could be a great opportunity for growth.
Hi Leo,
Your total objectivity sounds like psychopathology.
Our subjectivity is part of reality. And it’s what makes us human.
You’re too young. Have a child and we’ll talk about it.
Leo Gura says: A perfect example of D-cognition in action.
You’re so fucking lost in your mind’s agenda that you’ve even lost the ability to perceive truthful guidance.
Dora says: The subject of the talk is in deep very profound…
No need to be disrespectful with your audience!!!
Dora
Cristina says: He’s not being disrespectful, you just need to understand that one can lose his patience. Imagine yourself working with thirty 2 years old kids, their brain is yet undeveloped and they behave like retards and you just go bananas. It’s hard to be so damn smart in a world of idiots. He’s trying really hard to explain and he’s doing it great and clearly, he ‘s putting all the info in layman terms so to speak so any idiot can understand it, if some don’t understand well… you sometimes feel like talking to a wall and it’s quite frustrating, especially when you’re being so open, generous and willing to share with others. He’s doing it for free and he could simply keep all his wisdom and information he’s learnt all these years to himself. He’s doing the damn hard work and comes to explain to us, and even so there are some who simply are too closed minded and unaware to even accept a different point of view even though they don’t get it. Inflexibility is a major sign of ignorance.
Co says: Another excellent vid Leo!
I feel for you man, trying to communicate probably the most complex topic to us (a bunch of asleep monkeys) must be extremely frustrating, especially knowing how much of a positive impact this information can have.
I’m sure if everyone could truly comprehend what you’re trying to do with this channel they’d be very grateful.
Thanks for all your work dude!
Leo Gura says: It’s not that frustrating because I’m basically in the same boat as you guys, perhaps only a few steps ahead.
It’s more baffling than frustrating. Ignorance is an awesome force of nature.
chris says: great video!
Kev says: Leo, what do you think of working with the process of “noteing” as I find myself “deficiency perceiving” vice “being perceiving” ?
Leo Gura says: Not sure how to interpret what you’re saying.
Kev says: One of your meditation videos you teach Insight meditation (I think that’s what one can call it). Consciously noting, ‘Seeing, seeing’ or ‘hearing, hearing’
As one re-cognizes the experiencal difference between d-cognition vs b-cognition, using that method to build consistent b-cognition.
Kev says: By consciously “noting” “d-perception” and “b-perception”
Jerzy says: Dear Leo, I highly admire you for all the work that you have been creating, going through, and sharing! Greetings from Warsaw .
Mark says: hi Leo, before watching this i was watching “The Most Interesting Problem in Philosophy and Science” an early video of yours which dovetails nicely with this most recent and extra-ordinary example of your love of Truth. thank you for everything you are doing. as you explain,the costs can be high. i am just at the point where i am working on my life purpose vision through your course. as my life purpose and self agenda begin to coincide i find myself asking what will emerge from my values of personal growth, truth and spirituality. surely i do not need to abandon my self agenda but rather allow for my growth beyond it ?
leo, i recognise i may have to abandon even my life purpose to acheive my life purpose, and that paradox has come home with this video. but are self agenda and life purpose the same? isn’t much of the life purpose course the building of an alternative self agenda?
Leo Gura says: You do not exist!
Pretty much all of you is a fiction!
So what self-agenda do you need to defend?
The life purpose course is of course a self-agenda. It is a fiction created by the ego for the sake of keeping busy to distract yourself from the reality of a quickly approaching death.
What do you think everyday life is about?
It only has one function: to distract you from death. And the life purpose course does a superb job of that
Cristina says: Not only that the self-agenda distracts you from the death waiting for you, but it’s also causing lots of pain by having you working and trying so hard to make it real. It causes so much useless suffering.
Tia says: I love hearing you speak, but I agree that when I read some of your responses, it’s difficult to then trust you 100% because it sounds as if you are not living by your own principles. Like saying certain groups of people or beliefs are ignorant . How is that OK but being horrified by the Holocaust is not? I don’t want to be a person that is not effected by the suffering if my fellow humans.
Leo Gura says: When I call someone ignorant, I am not saying it as an emotional reaction or judgment, I am stating it as a matter of fact. Like if I were to say that a child is ignorant of sex or drugs. That would be a factual claim. Nothing against the child. But he is in a state of ignorance about these things.
Being horrified by the holocaust is okay. It just isn’t true, in the sense that the “horror” is a projection of your mind. As long as you are fully conscious of that, feel free to be horrified.
It’s also true that I don’t live by all the wisdom I share with you. If I did, I would be Jesus. I share many insights with you and I try to not limit myself to my own limited embodiment of this wisdom, because this goes way beyond me.
Cristina says: Wow, the holocaust thing you said made a click into my mind right now. You’re so right, we really don’t give a damn on the holocaust, we might feel sorry for those people, but really… we’re so unaware we don’t even give a damn on our own death.
It’s so pretentious to say “I’m horrified by the human race’s suffering” but when about to choose, you’d kill anyone to save your ass. Let’s just be honest and rip off the useless cliched layers and admit who and what we really are deep inside.
A month back an uncle of mine died of cancer. I went to the funeral and really nobody was affected, but his two daughters PERIOD. Nobody really gives a damn.
You can tell by the way people live their lives, eat, look, build toxic relations, etc etc that they don’t really put a price on their own life or death, why would they be horrified by the holocaust, the death of some people they never met? We’re so used to assume things and emotions that don’t even belong to us and are not authentic that we ourselves become inauthentic. Admitting you don’t give a damn is way better than lying. And if you really give a damn, it means you’re so aware of others’ suffering that you really feel that suffering, which would mean you are Jesus or something.
Tia says: OK, that’s fair. No one expects you to be Jesus.
But how can you be sure that your non-judgment, fact basis claim that certain people are ignorant, is not just your ego or d cognition? That label does have a negative connotation, after all. I could call someone rude or a bully or some other label and then say “well, but it’s a fact because. ..” also. But then I have your voice in my head saying “That’s a judgement. Nothing is good or bad.”
I’m just suggesting you have the same consciousness and admit that, too is a projection of your own beliefs.
Leo Gura says: Of course I could be wrong. That’s always a possibility. That’s why you shouldn’t believe me, but discover what is true through your own direct experience.
Tia says: I feel like it is healthy to be disturbed by other’s suffering. Also, it inspires one to prayer, kindness and connection.
I am writing this because as I become more actualized, I feel like there is an attitude of apathy now more toward the suffering of others, as I recognize how much of people’s suffering is their own creation. But then I saw something so upsetting that it awakened that sense of turmoil at the pain of others and I find value in that.
Ser says: Ignorance is ultimately a choice (laziness) , not a flaw, we were all born ignorant. Ignorance is a FACT when I ask you which is the largest continent and you don’t have the right answer, because you were too damn lazy to learn. You don’t know the answer and that’s a FACT not my judgement on you. When there are so many things you have no damn idea about, you are IGNORANT. You are not stupid, but IGNORANT. If you never heard of Rilke, Schopenhauer, Hawkins, Nietzsche, Wittengtein, Tolstoi, Swift and a million others it’s because you don’t read cause you’re lazy, so in consequence you are IGNORANT. You can’t even understand what leo told you about ignorance, that’s how ignorant you are and that’s not a LABEL, it’s pure REALITY!
Tia says: Woa, OK, I get it. Take it easy.
Ser says: Hehe no, you don’t get it and that’s sad! We live in a sad sad world.
Tia says: I mean sad is an accurate description, no doubt. Especially people’s ignorance regarding geography. How could someone not know that Asia is the biggest continent. Its so fucking big.
But admittedly, many have very limited knowledge on the aforementioned philosophers. I sadly and lazily have not cultivated my own garden of knowledge. I mean the Hitler would certainly agree that is and unforgivable. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Clearly, not learning would make one guilty of not doing good.
What is remarkable is that you were able to ascertain that about me from just a few sentences. You so aptly categorized me as ignorant. Tell me, zen master, how do you maintain such an objective perspective? Undoubtedly, Tolstoi got it right when he said “People shouldn’t waste focus on changing themselves, just the rest of the world.” or something like that.
Kevin says: Self-knowledge is.
Ser says: Oh man, you are something. “Tolstoi or something like that”you couldn’t even got it right form google? ) I really don’t give a damn if you now which is the largest continent or not since you can easily search the answer on google, it was just an example. i said you are ignorant because of your poor understanding capacity. You keep saying calling someone ignorant is judgmental which is NOT. You just don’t get it. And the names I’ve mentioned are mostly writers not philosophers, but who cares right? I have never said I am objective, it’s what you assumed
Gillian says: This reminds me very much of the Three Principles as taught by Sydney Banks.
Alice says: Thank you for your video Leo,
It’s so interesting to me how you can’t deny the truth. I looked up Abraham Maslow. Take a look at this short documentary on YouTube called Encountering Abraham Maslow.
Somebody I know posted an article on man in their 30’s and it had some interesting points. But in this documentary you notice that only in the end of his life after having near death experience he finally found his truth – spending time with his granddaughter. Witnessing why family is so important. Watching a little child.
You talk a lot about ego and in other words there is constant influence on us to be destructive. All that we experience phisically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally is for us to learn the results. You can’t pick up a stick in the air by one end without lifting it’s other end as well
So everything we do and say has consiquences.
I enjoy your videos and learn a lot. Thank you for the time you spend and all the hard work!
Best,
Alice
Marwan says: Hey Leo what’s up man.
I agree with u in a lot of things but there is a little point that I would like to discuss with you about this natural phenomena called ( the cognitive deficiency or the misperception) . First point is that it’s a great thing to be aware of this phenomena taking place inside my ego system.
Second point is that I think it is not a nasty thing, actually I think it is one of the most important powerful ego tools of the natural self defence techniques which plays a big role in maintaining our survival through this complex world.
The last point is that I think this ego tool (the cognitive deficiency) can take place in a positive way that can even benefits the person in a more thoroughly way,, in other words why can’t we use this deceptive flipping tool to create with it a heaven while we are thrown in a middle of a hell (external hell, a production of destiny , like having cancer or losing a part of your body after fatal accident or living in an undeveloped fucked up country , getting unjustly jailed ), so in those cases this misperception plays a very critical role here , it could be used negatively which will lead into self destruction, but on the other side it could be used positively by trying to perceive this accident or this cancer in a more positive constructive way which will help in the personal survival and why not also helping the personal development.
this is why I consider it an important tool that could be used positively.
Leo Gura says: “Positive” is a meaning constructed by the mind. It’s an illusion. It is wedded to “negative”. When you construct positive you necessarily construct negative.
Until you grasp this, you will be stuck.
You cannot isolate the positive. That doesn’t work at all. It only creates problems.
The proper solution is to see that life is truly meaningless. Then you get peace and all problems melt away.
Sierra says: I just have to say I love your videos, I like that you cuss in them. It makes personal development seem more down to earth.
Linda Klapak says: HEAVY-DUTY, DEEP, AND BARE TO THE BONES OF AWARENESS. Thanks for clarifying D & B perception. A lot of deconstruction and dissolving is happening.
nicole says: Leo,
I think language is a real barrier to self-actualisation.
How is it possible to communicate with others in our daily lives without joining in with the illusions of it all. How is it possible to be aware of all of this and still be able to use language. The language we have to use to live in the world we have all created keeps us stuck in the illusions and when you gain insight how can you then have any meaningful day to day conversations with others.
What does this conversation look like?I’m honestly stuck.
Kely says: Since I saw a video of yours for the first time, about 3 weeks ago, my life has been changing significantly. I am willing to have a good life and I’ve been my inspiration and my source of energy at the same time . Thank you so much for your help! A Brazilian hug!
Michael Abitbol says: Leo- if you’re seeing something for what it is what does that say about morals or ethics like if there is not right or wrong just what it is doesn’t that directly contradict placing any judgement at all? So if I were to steal from someone or hurt someone I would feel it, it would feel like I did wrong.
Madhu 
no judgement equals no thought equals direct observation equals vrai perception so what it all boils down to is to stop monkey minding situations gives you a clear perception of reality leo please tell me if ive got this right or not
sky says: Here’s a guy that basically seems to agree with Leo, from the academic field. I’d be interested in Leo’s perspective on what he says. I think Leo might find him pretty interesting. He’s bringing God into physics, and is actually being welcomed! He’s uniting the “subjective” and “objective,” while even suggesting that there’s a metric conceivable!
It’s a youtube entitled,
“The Case Against Reality: Prof. Donald Hoffman on Conscious Agent Theory”
Max Gron says: In the case of reality I saw his video on self-deception, it says to reveal the elephant and not get sleepy and by doing this I revealed reality to myself. Let’s not worry about useless untruths, I’m not my body, my hand isn’t a hand? Bullshit! I want the truth and only two people I know even have the truth, Tom next door to where I live and my housemate. I’m open to a rude awakening and it’s shocked me so many times that it doesn’t surprise me. Reality is simple enough, it’s just stuff outside your imagination. I’m not about to die believing a lie. The idea that your brain doesn’t exist is a lie, and many existential orientations of religion are lies. Religious people don’t care about you, they only care about beliefs they like to spread to manipulate you, it’s not your liberal interests in freedom, they force you to obey.
Max Gron says: Mind f’ks, modifying the truth, bullshit! I believe in the truth, I don’t believe in people’s changing of my truth or changing/modifying the original truth. Truth is what I think, I can’t agree with everything Leo says but he wants it that way, I understand how “skepticism” works, I question my skepticism therefore I’m a believer and it’s goodbye for me, I need to stop leaning on Leo and rely on thinking of myself (not of myself but it’s of myself, thinking on my own accord). I’m not saying I’m going to be selfish, I’m very much saying my lack of selfishness is my true moral beliefs, even if people think Puritans are selfish, really? Or are they not extremely selfless? It’s either of 3 extremes: selfishness, selflessness and thinking of every one of us (both yourself and others), I choose to think of us instead of making it about not me all the time. I can’t understand a better life than philosophy, a way of life and living in terms of reality. It’s not looking out for my best interests, it’s looking out for reality recognised as not just thoughts inside my head, as something real, and things to live by. Humans are the only beings who hold truths and disbeliefs against themselves, an animal has beliefs and taking a circumstance as the truth, reacts to pseudo-truths about the way reality works, as people do oftentimes, and even if it was true, no evidence being presented you or an animal would listen to or take as the truth if it’s against your truth.
Max Gron says: It took me years not to contradict Leo, it’s hard to see I stopped contradicting him, not through your filter of who I am, but the reality of your perception. The reality is I mainly can’t handle the truth, I’m with Leo 100%, but not the videos I’m not with the most: reality/truth, thinking, models, enlightenment, acceptance, that sort of thing. I probably don’t care about what I think is a bad thing, nothing you say is ever going to change my mind. People have a weak argument, Leo’s got a frigging powerful argument, and for him not being special, my housemate Ken’s also got a frigging powerful argument. I think I should be listening to Leo and that’s the bottom line, I think it’s not a shame how he has followers, and I’m a believer too, I see nothing about me deserving of inequality.
Max the shithead says: I noticed the maintaining of pessimism in some of my comments, but with intentions to have being cognition as I tried to have it since I was 6 years old, I always saw myself with being perception, e.g. my talking as just talking, my listening to the radio as just listening to the radio, I didn’t see it as bad, I didn’t see it as suspicious what I did, the problem is acting this way receives deficiency cognition from people. To not have this happen again, I should stop doing valuable or meaningful things, an example is watching documentaries or doing something that doesn’t affect people, anything on the similar line to watching documentaries, then perhaps they’ll give me being perception. I understand 100%, yet this is hard to understand, pessimism is just a viewpoint, it’s not anything else, it’s both the view of the world and a recipe for happiness, but it’s not a pleasure or a luxury happiness, pessimism is an ascetic happiness.
Max the shithead says: I’m not believing this shit, it’s something somebody made up, I’m going by old beliefs and religions, I just see things for what they are in the way that I do, I see talking as just talking, and I don’t think God wants to see you acting like this, not really, God wants you to be obedient to his dictating, and wants you not to be loving but to fear him and be obedient. All this spiritual stuff is crazy, it’s crazy! How can you believe made up religion? You lost your mind. I’m not going to listen to myself interpret made up beliefs, invented religions, it’s addictive, that’s the thing. Even with Muslims, they don’t look like normal sane people, they look like improper, magical people, religion, rather than being crazy, is improper, it’s incorrect, and I’m not falling prey to its lies, only Puritanism and anti-Australianism is the truth.
Max the know better says: Not that anyone cares, or should care to tear down this website, but without deficiency/being cognition, I think Leo’s acting a little strange, choiceless awareness! Made up, it’s a cult by definition. I think people should be followers and not avant-garde people inventing their own systems of anything, this is a plagiarism of pantheism, metaphysical solipsism, metaphysical monism, moral relativism, ontological nihilism (becoming your own god), the less popular psychology, mechanics, wise men as spiritual not religious, logic, altruism, Aztec mythology, ancient wisdom which is no good for me because it’s not suited to modern men like me, I follow modern wisdom, wisdom using 18th-century philosophy, if any, not into Australian bullcrap or any ethnic Australian foods or the lies of the Dreaming, that stuff can’t happen. I’m not an avant-garde, or an inventor, and I’m not an anti-normal man pretending this is okay, out-there stuff belongs to weird people like you who do weird things, it’s sooo simple! All that entanglement in a one-hour teaching, it’s easy to understand, that’s why it’s so complicated! Well of all these beliefs in these teachings somebody made them up, the only truth is that God is what’s real, not nationalities or distinct groups, and God gives you the food you buy for the table, and you’re not God, and that Leo is only teaching stuff from an insecurity with people, through anger and frustration, well I’ll tell you what, some of what he teaches is dangerous. If I set out to change my life, I’m changing it to better myself, not change to be different. But as my cousin never practised what he preached, he said I never do things to better myself, he never bettered himself all throughout his life, he always thought his identity was correct, well I’m doing like my cousin: hypocritical, and not ever bettering myself, having the same problems. Like my cousin I’ll also do what Trump does and eat a cheeseburger at McDonald’s, since my cousin eats hot, fresh, unhealthy cheeseburgers, so I’ll do some of the ignorant things my cousin does, wearing ramshackle jeans, getting sad like him, refusing to go to Hungry Jack’s because he prefers McDonald’s, dressing like a New York cowboy with a jacket, jeans and solid shoes. Yeah, I can be just as foolish as my cousin, his name’s Andrew, and i think if he doesn’t get better I don’t get better, I’m convinced that this shit is “perfect”.
Max is right so you listen says: Of accurate perception and I’ll keep this brief, it’s not attaching a meaning, value, purpose, etc to a person, object or thing, it’s the wisdom sought for without any of the rubricising. And as Leo talks about this, I understand 100%to see people as they are for themselves, without such labels as evil, foreigner, alien, corrupt, wicked, good, bad, etc etc, and to talk to them as the persons they are and not the persons they are for me. And finally as I’m exercising philosophy of philosophy on this topic, Leo’s right that a thing is just the thing itself, and that’s how I wanted to see things, and not as annoying, bad, wrong, immoral, etc, or evil.