This question is for the awakened one. I know I will recognize you're awakened, because your words will resonate with me, even if I don't fully understand.

I believe I'm on the verge of awakening. I've been though hell, and I'm on my way back home. On the way back, many a teacher has stressed the importance of awakening. To end the cycle of living and dying in this world. To end the ego.

My question is, why is awakening being stressed so much? I assume that awakening is "better" than being asleep, but why not enjoy the best of both worlds? There are things I still want to do in the world. Things I'd like to have. Things I'd like to change. And to be frank, I'd really like to accomplish those things while asleep in this dream. I'd like the satisfaction of knowing I could do it before awakening.

Let's assume that while asleep, I wanted to transform the entire world into a utopia, where there is no hunger, no disease, no war. Just perpetual peace, health, and abundance. What's another thousand years of me enjoying that world and everything in it? Why the rush to awaken?

asked 15 May '13, 16:43

kevin32's gravatar image

kevin32
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edited 15 May '13, 17:41

Barry%20Allen's gravatar image

Barry Allen ♦♦
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You realize you can't have peace without war, disease without health, and hunger without abundance?

Duality is two mirrors reflecting each other. If you get rid of one of them, the other disappears with it.

Just like you can't awake without the sleep. People talking about awakening to escape sleep, are same as people talking about heaven to escape hell. Paradoxically, never awaking to realization it's the very nature of wanting to awaken that creates the sleep they want to get out of...

(15 May '13, 18:48) CalonLan

...let me rephrase, it's because you want to awaken, the sleep exists.

(15 May '13, 18:52) CalonLan
3

calonlan, awake may be misunderstood, its opposite is not sleep but ignorance. the spirit, as designed for us, will uplift mankind otherwise we remain in the planet of suffering

(15 May '13, 20:46) fred
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Both CalonLan and Fred make very valid points above. You can still accomplish all you want while "awake". In fact I'd go further by saying you can realize all you want while "awake". "Accomplish" suggests a state of attachment to the outcome. Once awake there is no sense of striving...things become effortless. However, the natural law of the Universe is balance and nothing exists without it's polar opposite, but the awakened individual attaches no personal meaning...for every Hitler there is a Gandhi. Accepting that it All exists within the self but realizing that the choice is always yours, on where to put your attention and what you allow to come forth, will create a world for You in alignment with what You want. Just don't expect everyone else to be having the same experience :)

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answered 15 May '13, 21:12

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Michaela
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why would you attaches personal meaning for something impersonal? Hitler or Gandhi are not you. the one that judge have all ready been judge. Would you cut your right hand or your left? you would not want to cut neither the left or the right hand. then why choose one and get personal? it is not that things become effortless, I would say that it is better understanding and better usage of your resource. As for striving it is the same what are you striving for? rich people strive for money yet-

(15 May '13, 21:51) white tiger

they do not bring Anny with them at the physical death. could they have use their time and resource better in this world? in fact many have strive in the opposite direction of what they should have strive for. in the fable of the turtle and the rabbit who won the race?

(15 May '13, 21:57) white tiger

@Michaela, of course you can realize anything while awake. At one point a person realized that, like you said, everything exists in balance. Awaken person is one sided, biased, and so is one that sleeps. Both are not different from each other.

When you awaken and go to sleep and awaken and go to sleep....deliberately, then you found the balance.

(16 May '13, 09:41) CalonLan

@Calonlan,Ha Yeah! But those who "deliberately" (consciously) choose to go to sleep again are always 'awake' in the dream. Awareness once gained can never be lost :)

(16 May '13, 12:36) Michaela

@Michaela, I mean you can lose it in the moment, if you want. It's just that you are able to become aware again easily.

Just like an actor on the stage is totally consumed by the role (sleep) and once the show ends he's brought back to his life (awareness).

I can watch the show and life go by, and it makes me smile, but much more do I like to let the moment consume me, rid myself of defenses and surrender to my sense. Then I feel like drinking from the cup of life.

(16 May '13, 14:23) CalonLan
1

@Calonlan...Yep 'awareness' is always there in the background and even in those moments we go back to sleep that 'awareness' causes us to come back to the present moment much quicker so we spend more and more time 'awake' in the dream. And, in doing so, we realize there's nothing and no-one to defend...it really All just Is :)

(17 May '13, 20:29) Michaela

Awake in the dream,I love it,let go and let God.It just IS...Nice..Thanks.

(17 May '13, 20:37) Roy

Nice Michaela!

(17 May '13, 20:48) abrahamloa
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Everyone follows their own individual path and no one path is better than another. I say why not find a balance and have the best of both worlds if you can:)

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answered 16 May '13, 13:33

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Satori
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1

Not only you assume division of acts, you even divide the worlds. Maybe there are not two worlds, just one. In which case, there's nothing to balance. =)

(17 May '13, 02:24) CalonLan

@calonLan - yes agree with what you said

(17 May '13, 20:52) abrahamloa

If you are speaking of a spiritual awakening, then I can speak with you...for in this, I am awake. I do not go for all this "death of the self" stuff...For it is our "selves" which do the experiencing, which, push the mind and heart towards satisfying and happy accomplishment. It is the "self" which decides to Love God, to do well, to desire happiness...It is a difference between Western and Eastern Philosophy- the East wants Nirvana...Nothingness and the Death of Self...To this mind, Death and Life are the same, and desire just gets in the way of achieving this "peace"...which is kind of meaningless to me, since it is the Ego, the self, which feels happiness! Like you, if awake means feeling nothing, I'd rather dream, like you.

These two Philosophies are at war with each other. You have to be conscious of which Philosophy you want, and the goal of each, to decide whether you want to be "awake". I'd rather be awake and aware than in a place where I feel nothing, and am dead to myself and all conscious Being. Yuck!

Blessings,

Jai

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answered 16 May '13, 01:20

Jaianniah's gravatar image

Jaianniah
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i dont think all Eastern philosophies fall on that category.. many allow moderations... which is same side of the coin of allowing things to happen, ask and its given is same as Divine will, be general in your desires is same as being non-attached.. etc. etc.

(17 May '13, 20:55) abrahamloa

That state of mind which is no longer capable of striving is the true religious mind, and in that state of mind you may come upon this thing called truth or reality or bliss or God or beauty or love.
This thing cannot be invited.
Please understand that very simple fact.
It cannot be invited, it cannot be sought after, because the mind is too silly, too small, your emotions are too shoddy, your way of life too confused for that enormity, that immense something, to be invited into your little house, your little corner of living which has been trampled and spat upon.
You cannot invite it.
To invite it you must know it and you cannot know it. It doesn't matter who says it, the moment he says, 'I know', he does not know.
The moment you say you have found it you have not found it.
If you say you have experienced it, you have never experienced it.
- Freedom from the Known,122,
J.Krishnamurti


peace

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This answer is marked "community wiki".

answered 17 May '13, 00:16

ursixx's gravatar image

ursixx
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2

the harder you try to reach it, the further out of reach it goes.

Wanting to awaken only puts you deeper into the sleep. For the want itself is the very essence of the sleep.

(17 May '13, 02:32) CalonLan

"the harder you try to reach it, the further out of reach it goes."

Wise words...allowing is always the key :)

(17 May '13, 20:32) Michaela

if the mountain does not come to you then go to the mountain. strive to enter at the strait gate.

(17 May '13, 21:12) white tiger
showing 2 of 3 show 1 more comments

what though if there be three worlds, two that send you their side of the paradox, the third your decision

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answered 17 May '13, 17:50

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fred
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sounds so simple,thanks fred :)

(17 May '13, 20:28) Roy

Love this fred...the third, not one or the other but the amalgamation of both or the realization of neither :)

(17 May '13, 20:34) Michaela

I am telling you the truth you cannot end the ego. but you can get in accordance with it. first know why it exist and why you exist. each of you have different things to do. the ego is like the guard dog of your house. but who are you and who is in control you or the ego? is the ego doing is job properly? and are you doing your job properly? If 2 stay in a house they have to share their task properly and make the choice of who is doing what? And who is qualify or better suited to do the task at hand. But who is deciding in your house you or the ego? can you say to your ego sit down you do not need to bark or attack this person? Can you solve your problem by your self with out always giving the ego the job? or are you the one that the ego control saying to you get mad at this person bark, attack. and you are obeying it? You see even if the ego is good and serve you in this world to protect you it does not mean that you need to be always staying at that place under is control. Who is the master of the house? is it the one that drinks milk or eat meat? the one that drinks milk cannot eat meat , and the one that eat meat can drink milk. But you who are you? Can you find that place of understanding and be a peacemaker, enter at the strait gate.

let there. Be light.Be the light that you can be.experience and enjoy.

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answered 15 May '13, 17:51

white%20tiger's gravatar image

white tiger
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edited 15 May '13, 18:32

A very wise man once said to me "be the circle". Understanding the purpose and meaning behind the yinyang will help explain the answers to this very, very good question. Excellent question, thanks for asking. ^_^y

(16 May '13, 01:57) Snow

In my opinion if you are living life with stress or pain, then there is a choice not to suffer. Thats all. That choice is awakening. If you don't awaken you might get tossed around at the whim of this life's oceanic currents which can be pretty painful.. lol. i should not laugh here actually.

If you awaken you can relieve that stress or pain. You can definitely pursue what you want in this life and be fully passionate and experience the beauty in this life as you desire. You can accomplish anything and everything you want within the confines of the Cosmic laws. Awakening can you get you there in a more certain manner and faster. Its like super express direct non-stop train!

They say Ask and Its Given , or Allow it and it will be given to you. Or as they say seek the Lord and everything will be given unto you.

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answered 17 May '13, 20:47

abrahamloa's gravatar image

abrahamloa
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in this world you will suffer, that is part of the physical existence. Yet you came here to experience this world. among all the mansion you needed to come experience this one. yet this mansion is not so bad. You have many opportunity to experience and grow. let there be light, Be the light that you can be experience and enjoy.

(17 May '13, 21:10) white tiger

There is no suffering even in this world once u have awakened & r connected to Divine energy.

(17 May '13, 21:56) abrahamloa
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