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What is Consciousness and Enlightenment?

March 23, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Today I published a new video talking about my current theory regarding consciousness and how it relates to enlightenment. The theory arose over the course of a few meditation sessions and really struck me as an interesting way to think about things. Of course I could be wildly misinformed, not being a neuroscientist and all, but I love allowing my mind to just think in different directions and see what it tells me.

This theory talks primarily about “configuration states”, individual states of mind that have stats and attributes attached to them. When you’re sad or happy, a variety of different configurations are available that implement that emotional state, load related memories, and as a result alters your consciousness. There would undoubtedly be millions of these configurations with varying levels of intensity, illustrating why people react differently to the same stimuli. I would also imagine there are other factors involved too, like genetics and any chemicals currently inside your body (food, drugs, etc.).

The example I give to try and explain this view is: there are two identical androids with the exact same brains and memories, and operate indistinguishably from humans (at least from the abstract). With all their senses turned off, they are each asked the exact same question in the exact same way. Both retrieve the same answer because they are each within the exact same configuration state and thus the memory retrieved is identical. But then the scientist allows one of them to receive tactile feedback or turns on their eyes, and now their configuration state is altering rapidly to adjust to the new information. Their consciousness changes and now they retrieve a different answer (or memory) to the question.

The point I’m trying to make is that with this theory in mind, enlightenment is probably just the discovery of specific configurations. Enlightenment isn’t actually anything at all, it’s just the subjective best possible configurations you can find and maintain. If true, then you can begin to systematically figure out how to achieve enlightenment states by understanding what the configuration is comprised of. For instance, 10/10 happy, 8/10 contentment, 0/10 sadness, 2/10 patience, 4/10 energy, etc. And you could begin to detail what thoughts and activities allow you to reach your maximum potential.

UPDATE 2016-02-04: I wanted to quickly point out that X/10 is a simplistic way of expressing this idea and that in reality the complexity of configurations are probably beyond human comprehension. Instead you must rely on approximations and an acute awareness of self to predict and maintain mental states that positively impact your psyche (note ‘positive’ being a relative definition and not ’emotional positivity’ as that may not always be the most beneficial state of mind). This is undoubtedly a daunting task however and could require a lifetime of analysis and practice to achieve, if it’s even possible at all.

The Best Places to Learn Online

March 22, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Since the fall of 2011 I have spent much of my time learning new things. In fact, I’d argue that I’ve learned more useful information in the past year and half than at any other time in my life. I feel as if I passed a “tipping point”, where I went from an ordinary interest level in information, to obsessed with it. I’ve also realized that much of what I learned before was incomplete and lacked “fundamental knowledge.” So I’ve also been relearning, or even “unlearning”, all sorts of different things. And it has resulted in the most wonderful and unanticipated consequence: the awareness of intellectual enlightenment. So today I wanted to publish a relatively short article about how I learn online and why it has worked for me.

The first learning resource is a recent discovery called Memrise. This website is absolutely fantastic and has amazing potential in my opinion. Think “Rosetta Stone”, but free and better designed (at least compared to the version I used a few years ago). I’ve been using it to learn French (my sister speaks it fluently) and sign language (just because why not). I am also going to pickup Spanish as well, once I have French down. With this website I am memorizing faster and more efficiently than ever before because of their two unique features: “Mems“, which help you visualize what you’re learning, and the implementation of the “forgetting curve” in each course. If you’re at all interested in learning a new language or need help memorizing facts and terms, Memrise is the place to be.

Next up is the Khan Academy, a website full of educational YouTube videos taught by Salman Khan. Now there’s a few main reasons I really like this website over its competitors:

You are not required to “signup for courses”, a feature I really dislike about other learning websites. I do not want to be forced to learn through a sequence of due dates. That’s why I prefer learning online, because it’s at your own pace and discretion. If I wanted courses and due dates, I’d go back to school!
Sal is an excellent teacher who focuses on making sure you understand the fundamentals. He also takes the extra time to color code what he’s talking about, reiterates his points to ensure no one misses anything important, and has a natural talent for explaining things in a thorough and simple way.
And lastly, the website looks gorgeous, has a Q&A comment section with ratings for asking questions about each video, it awards points and achievements for learning, and connects with my Google account. All great things that make the experience that much better.

The Stack Exchange is next and offers a large network of Q&A websites covering many different topics. This is another beautifully designed website that makes solving even the hardest questions not only possible, but fun. The communities are full of helpful people, there’s a reward system that gives you points and badges, and it serves as an excellent way to test your knowledge. As a programmer, I’ve posted answers and asked questions as a way to challenge myself, and I encourage you to do the same.

Another great way to educate yourself is through reading. Over the past year I’ve come across some excellent free ebooks and PDF websites. Scribd, which touts itself as the largest online library, has a wide range of PDF documents for online reading or download. Just be aware that they offer a premium feature which locks some documents behind a paywall. Project Gutenberg, named after Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, publishes public domain texts, primarily of historical nature. They also offer their documents in a variety of formats (including Kindle), which is an excellent feature Scribd currently lacks. I also stumbled upon Open Library, which is exactly like it sounds, an online library that offers free and borrowable texts. I really like this website since it houses a ton of documents, but I feel the interface needs some work yet and the borrowing feature seems silly since they’re digital documents. But I suppose if that’s the only way to get licensing, borrowing an ebook isn’t so bad, if it opens up more choices. Lastly, there’s good ol’ Amazon.com and their selection of free Kindle ebooks. I mention this because if you have a Kindle, their Whispernet makes reading these texts a breeze. Just search for a famous classical author, find the free community versions of their books, and with a single click, send them to your Kindle. It’s awesome, plain and simple. And just as a very last note here, don’t forget Wikipedia! Sometimes just browsing articles and reading biographies or the explanation of something you don’t understand is a great way to learn.

And the final resource for learning online is YouTube. Yes, there may be a million, no wait, a billion distractions, from fail compilations to music videos, but YouTube also contains a huge selection of educational videos. I am constantly queuing up new videos to my “Watch Later” playlist and have learned all sorts of fascinating things. Just be aware that 1. not everything on YouTube is accurate, and in fact there’s plenty of disinformation floating around and 2. don’t read the comments, people are jerks. If you’re interested in finding some good channels to subscribe to (and I highly recommend actually using your Google account to like, favorite, rate, and subscribe), come check out my YouTube channel’s about page to get started.

And that’s how I learn online. By utilizing these different services, staying interested by cycling through them and mixing it up, I’ve reached a point where learning has become fun and engaging. And you don’t even have to take it that seriously. I used to listen to YouTube lectures and lessons while playing video games or working on other projects. Just because you’re learning, doesn’t mean you have to take notes and be all serious. Have fun with it and learn about things that make you happy!

Update: Here are a few more learning websites that might tickle your fancy: Udacity, Quizlet, Academic Earth, Coursera, and edX. The reason I didn’t list these before is primarily because they require you to “sign up for courses” or have other needless requirements. I prefer learning when I feel like it.

Why Do Monks Meditate in Monasteries?

March 15, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

There are probably many reasons why monks live in monasteries, but I’m interested in just a couple in particular. It’s this idea that once you reach a heightened level of understanding you realize the futility of seeking out people for enlightenment. It is far easier and more effective to let people come to you because their minds are open and ready to learn. Imagine all the skeptical, close-minded people on the Internet being taught by even the most wise monk. They would be trolling and arguing and claiming they won, all while the monk sat calmly wondering why he even bothered. It’s not worth trying to reach their minds. It’s better to let life flow naturally and if they wake up, they will seek out the information themselves. This is why Buddhism and Zen are so superior to organized religions like Christianity. They do not indoctrinate because they do not care to. Their level of understanding is so high that it all seems petty and futile. Enlightenment is an individual journey that will either happen naturally or not at all.

The next reason results through the elimination of suffering. All personal suffering is derived from desire and when you work to eliminate them, you find yourself in a state of calm. You must understand that, unless you’ve practiced this, you may never have actually experienced life without suffering. Even from a young age, we are grown up in a world where you are constantly wanting things or comparing yourself against others. It is very possible that a life without suffering is not one in which you can even comprehend until it actually happens. So when monks and enlightened individuals do eliminate them and reach this contentment, they no longer need the external world. They may enjoy to wander about, but they do not need it. So monks sit pleasantly and content, up in their monasteries because that is all they need. A nice calm, quiet location where they can practice meditation and live in constant peace and harmony.

People will argue, and I would have in the past, that this behavior is lazy and self-indulgent. That these monks are just wasting their lives and should be out doing things. Or at the very least helping others and teaching their lessons. There are so many things wrong with this argument. First, most people, if not everyone, aren’t in a position where they should be commenting on another person’s life. The vast majority of people are robots, toiling away, completely unaware that they exist (or, more accurately, do not exist). No one is qualified to judge and assess another person’s life, especially when their own is completely out of their control. Second, the universe does not value anything over anything else, meaning that no matter what you do in life, it is equal to any other task or achievement. We only apply subjective value to things; there is no such thing as objective valuation within the properties of reality. Ex. the beautiful women isn’t actually beautiful, she’s just subjectively beautiful. Next, the reward and understanding that comes with enlightenment and meditating in monasteries is complex and abstract. While it may appear lazy and wasteful to sit meditating and reflecting on the universe, it is actually quite taxing and tiresome. The work may not be tangible, but these monks and enlightenment seekers are doing far more than you might imagine. All-in-all this argument lacks even the most basic understanding of what enlightenment is and the more you begin to unravel the mysteries of this life, the more you realize how wise and intelligent it is to simply sit in a monastery.

Update: I’d also like to mention that attaining and maintaining an enlightened state is very difficult and thus remaining within a serene monastery may expedite the process.

The Three Levels of Truth

March 7, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Today’s upload talks about a recent realization I had in regards to handling decisions and how it can help lead you to a more enlightened and happy life. The idea is that there are three levels of opinion or truth that you can hold about something. The first level is your initial assumption or observation that forms your opinion or belief. This could be the worldview you held when you were younger. As you grow up you begin to realize the world works in a much different way than you first suspected and thus are forced to update your beliefs. This often results in an emotional response because it unravels something you thought was a foundation in your life. It forces you to ask questions like, “how could I have been so wrong? What does this mean? Does this change anything else? What else in my life is wrong?” It can be a very difficult to deal with questions like these, and thus many people will simply ignore them. I consider these two viewpoints to be extremes. One is naivety, the other an emotional reaction that pushes you to the other end of the spectrum. But there exists a third level, and it’s the realization that there is “middle ground”. It isn’t that gay marriage should be banned or legalized, it’s that it doesn’t exist in the first place. There is no such thing is gay or straight, there is only attraction. It’s not that guns should be legal or illegal, that’s not really the problem. The problem is why those people feel compelled to kill in the first place.

In my personal life, I experienced this with money. I used to dream about being rich and famous when I was young, but as I grew older I realized that those dreams were not my own. They were instilled in me through media and this urge to compete and prove myself. So I moved to the other spectrum and found myself rebelling against the system and hating money and all it stood for. But eventually the realization hit me that there is middle ground. Money can exist simply as a tool, not a necessity. Another example might be confidence and how that evolves with age. When we’re young, we’re insecure and scared of being judged. We blush and feel embarrassed, and we fear public speaking. As we grow older these fears diminish and we gain confidence. But even this is only the second level, for confidence itself is still a metric and limiting factor. The enlightened mind would realize that the act of simply measuring it, creates it, and thus you will be servant to it. Instead, realize that it is a mere fabrication of your mind and you can exist without it. There is always a third level you can move to. Seek it and adopt its views. For I once read that if you know the solution, or how you’ll think in the end, then you’re already there, and it would be foolish to think any other way.

Principles and Morality, an update regarding belief

March 5, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Today I present a short followup article to two previous articles mentioning my lack of beliefs (Challenging Your Beliefs and Belief, or a lack thereof). I’m writing this because I wanted to clarify that a lack of belief doesn’t mean a lack of principle, morality, or ethics. In fact, it means quite the opposite. It serves to strengthen your fundamental convictions by drawing attention to them.

I preach a lack of belief because belief can be a dangerous tool. Throughout history we’ve seen all sorts of atrocities done in the name of religions, institutions, governments, ideologies, and more. All based around an individual or group of people that share at least one powerful and alienating belief. Often formed during a time of struggle or hardship. The belief explains all sorts of things, not through logic or rational, but through emotion. It appeals to what we want to believe rather than what really is. And we see in our daily lives how it affects people. People form strong opinions and argue with those that disagree. They judge others harshly and criticize their appearance, behavior, and attitude without fully understanding their situation. They discriminate and profile and will spread their prejudice. All these things are futile acts done in the name of some belief the person has never honestly assessed. It is because they are not awake. They do not see reality as it really is and thus cannot grasp the concept of a life different from their own. I so often see this in ordinary people and it saddens me to know that they do not know what they speak or think. They will do these things whether or not they want to, and whether or not they will admit to it. They are the sum of their programming and having never questioned it and cannot see passed it. Belief must be deconstructed before you can ever hope to reach enlightenment.

There is a counter argument I’ve heard before to this line of thinking: “if we believe nothing, then we cannot be held responsible for our actions, and thus people will do whatever they want.” They argue that religion provides a framework of morality and helps people determine what is good and bad. There are numerous problems with this, although funnily enough, the core argument is probably accurate. Unaware, robotic minds probably do need institutions to instruct them. It provides a basic framework for society to lay consistent morality among a nation. This isn’t a bad idea, it’s statistics. The problem is that people use this argument to discourage people from thinking for themselves. They say, or at least imply, that leaving the Church will result in a society that will become immoral and unpredictable heathens. They ask, “where does it end? how can we have society without belief? Won’t it all come crashing down?” Well it is true that much of our system is based on belief and as a consequence, would weaken because of a society questioning it. Our money would lose value, our economy would falter, and our government and leaders would lose power. But it would not crumble because to use that argument exposes a flaw in your thinking. You live in a happy equilibrium between belief and an appropriate level of upholding those beliefs. You do not uphold your beliefs to the maximum attainable level, just as non-religious people don’t fall into chaos. We find an equilibrium that is most content and peaceful because that is what we want. The only difference between the two is that the individual holding a lack of belief is free to question and understand the world. They do not form opinions shaped by their preexisting beliefs and thus purely experience reality. They are free of the afflictions I mentioned above and accept others openly and warmly. This is why a lack of belief is so powerful, because it doesn’t destroy your fundamental convictions, it frees your mind and allows you to strengthen them.

And that’s what I want to share today. That it is not religion or Atheism that gives you power or direction. It is yourself and your ability to understand what it is you believe in. Do not be religious, do not be Atheist, do not uphold opinions or beliefs, let it go and free your mind from these obstructions. Go out and formally acknowledge what it is you believe in. Do not ask others. Do not remember what others told you. Choose for yourself and what you’ll find is that this recognition will make you happier, more confident, and prepared for whatever comes your way.

Don’t forget the lessons I’ve taught earlier in the previously mentioned articles. We’re talking about fundamental beliefs, not societal opinions. Those are still completely useless and create a framework that warps your view of reality. A person who properly holds beliefs is able to constantly shape and mold their framework.

Lastly, I want to stress that until you formally recognize your principles, you cannot be trusted to make good decisions. The Stanford Prison experiment and others over the past decades, have found that a surprisingly high rate of people will comply with authority, regardless of whether the task is unethical. This, I believe, could be mitigated simply by choosing what you believe is right and wrong. In fact, there’s an opportunity for an experiment here by doing a similar task and telling people to update their convictions by writing them down before hand. If they had written, “it’s NEVER OK to physically harm people”, they may not have pressed the electrical shock button. Just a thought.

Why is Meditation so Important for Enlightenment?

March 5, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

In my previous article, I mentioned the main benefits of meditation: relaxation, a clear and energetic mind, heightened awareness, sensitivity to positive and negative energy, calmness and peace, the ability to detect states of consciousness, discovering and resolving internal conflict, and increased productivity. Today I want to talk about my latest findings and why meditation is becoming an even more important part of my daily life.

The first lesson, and one that proved very profound, was the importance of reinforcing positive thinking. The old adage, “you are what you eat” and the Buddhist quote, “what you think, you become”, perfectly express the idea that: you alone determine who you are. This is something I’ve been pondering for quite some time and the realization I met with, was that I alone, stand in my way. That my happiness, contentment, and purpose in life, is clouded by my own mind. And this realization reveals that while it may be difficult to always see, you alone determine whether or not the external world can affect you. Even when bills are due and work is stressful, only you determine whether or not they upset you. It is a difficult realization to apply, but through meditation you can successfully achieve it.

So with this thinking comes the idea that reinforcing positive thinking is the obvious path. If we get to choose how to experience life, than why not experience it content and happy? And the importance of this lesson escaped me until very recently. I was meditating to my new favorite song on YouTube and it resulted in this incredibly intense and uplifting wave of positive energy. I literally teared up as I felt myself letting go of all my emotional and psychological burdens. Warmth and contentment, like I had never experienced before, filled my body and I felt at peace with the universe. It was so powerful that I felt unconditional love for all life on this planet. Anyone could have approached me, friend, family, or stranger, and I would have hugged them lovingly and done anything I could to help them. It was both strange and wonderful, and it was this moment when I realized the importance of the lesson above. That if, through meditation, one could recall this feeling, you would spend the rest of your days happy and content. Willing and excited to lend a hand to anyone in need.

Note: reinforcement is based on the theory that through consistent practice, one will weaken the neurons of your past self and strengthen new, positive ones. I explain this in more detail here. Also, vary your meditation times, locations, rituals, etc. Sometimes a minor change can result in a totally different meditative experience. Exs. before sleep, after a nap, with and without tea/coffee, wearing different clothes, listening to different music and sounds, etc.

There is one problem with positive thinking though, and it’s something I’ve personally worried about and observed. It’s this idea that the best creativity comes from suffering. I’ve noticed that when I feel depressed and lonely, I channel my darkness into whatever I happen to be working on. And you see this best in music. Bands will produce brilliant works of art in their early albums and the moment they get famous, their future albums dive. It’s like a switch gets flipped and the motivation to end your suffering kills your creativity. Joe Rogan and friends have also mentioned it as comedians. They admit to a superstition where any alteration or improvement in their routines may destroy their ability to write new and compelling content. It is a real concern because so much brilliance seems to come from those dark times. I’ve even wondered what will happen upon becoming enlightened. Will the urge and ability to unravel the mysteries of the universe end?

Another retrospective element of meditation comes from the successful integration of practice into your daily life. Often times I will hear individuals complaining about their life and the many stressors we find within. And I always think to myself, “wow, that would be awful to experience all that negativity without meditation, especially when you believe so ardently that it is real.” So much pain and suffering could be mitigated simply by meditating, yet so many do not heed its relevance. I urge you, reader, to carefully consider what it is you may be missing.

So, the title of the this post asks, “why is meditation so important for enlightenment?” I cannot possibly provide a complete and articulate answer that will convince you one way or another. I doubt it’s even possible to adequately describe it without writing an entire book. But I will at least provide this: meditation is a tool that provides a distracted mind with a moment of calmness in which they can hopefully glimpse reality. It is a statistical thing, like loot drops in World of Warcraft. You raid week after week with the hope that your gear drops, and it takes much time for it to happen (unless you’re lucky). Meditation is similar. You will meditate day after day, perhaps frustrated with the results, but eventually your loot will drop and realization will form within your mind. And when it does all the rewards of enlightenment will begin to stream within. And once you have it, it will all seem so obvious, and you will wonder how you never saw it before. A surreal and wondrous world will open up before you and your journey will begin. But be wary, because the path is dark and uncertain, and even if you begin it, you may never reach the end. There are distractions and obstacles that will fight you mercilessly and without rest. But the tool of meditation will always remain with you, ready to conquer whatever comes its way.

Productivity Tips: Realisitic Expectations, Taking Breaks, and Gaining Momentum

March 3, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Today’s upload shares two little productivity tips to help you accomplish more in life. The first is having realistic expectations by researching new tasks, jobs, and hobbies before diving in. I stand by my “7 day rule” which says, wait 7 days before committing to anything. You can plan, dream, draw out, research, discuss, etc. all you want, but don’t spend any money or make any permanent commitments for 7 days. Because I’ve found that after 7 days you have a pretty good idea of whether or not this new project or hobby is a good idea. The reason this is important is because after 7 days you’ve returned from the elated, excited, non-regular mindset, to the mindset that you have 90%+ days of the year. Sometimes we get so caught up in the moment we neglect to realize that how we feel now, doesn’t reflect how we normally feel. And when it wears off is when we say, “oops, what did I get myself into?” Of course I should also mention that this can be good sometimes because we need to get out of our comfort zones to really experience life. But generally it’s best to be in control of these things and make rational, responsible decisions.

I also bring up the discouragement we feel when we’ve failed to achieve something. For example, for a few weeks you decide to begin learning a new language and you’re excited and diligent about keeping up with your studies. Then life interferes by dumping extra work on you or distracting you in some way. Suddenly it’s three weeks later and you haven’t studied at all. A feeling of disappointment sets in and you sigh, shrugging off the feeling and telling yourself, “damn if only I would have found time to keep studying. Oh well, I guess it’s not a big deal.” And your language studies cease. But here’s the kicker. It didn’t cease those three weeks ago, it ceased in that moment, because that sort of situation is nothing more than a reminder. Instead of shrugging it off, restart your studies. It doesn’t matter if you have to relearn things or start over. That’s like sending you message saying, “hey remember that language you were trying to learn? Go learn it now, you have some time.” Don’t get discouraged and quit, just do it again. Because ultimately it’s not even about whether or not you learned the language, it’s about maintaining a level of productivity that keeps your mind active and excited about life. So when these moments pop up, when you’re reminded of something you used to do, just start doing it again.

The last point I make in this video is that if you’re a content producer like myself (making videos, blog posts, etc.), don’t worry about quality at first. I know it seems incredibly important to only put out your best work, but the problem is that you’re going to struggle remaining consistent. Instead focus on producing regularly, regardless of quality. Get into a groove by releasing 1 video per whatever. No matter what. Consider all your content right now practice for future content that’s going to blow people away. Because I promise you that however you envision your content now, it’s going to suck and be rejected for years, until it finally reaches this magical place that people respect. And this applies to basically everything. Our perception of success grossly underestimates what it actually takes to be good. Take that into account when pursuing a project.

The 3 Types of Awareness

February 21, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Today’s video talks about 3 different types of awareness. The first is environmental or situational awareness, which opens your eyes and mind to your physical surroundings. Where are you? What people and objects are here? What past, present, and future actions are here?

The second is social or emotional awareness, which is the subtle art of detecting the thoughts and feelings of others. While this may be a difficult subject to master, it is incredibly useful in determining intention, someone’s next move, how they feel about you, etc. I personally call this “the game” and whether you want to play or not, whether you’re aware you’re playing or not, you ARE playing. So understanding it, and at least protecting yourself, is a must. Learn more here.

And last is self awareness, the ability to detect your own subtle thoughts and emotions. It may surprise you that most people don’t fully know themselves, and this most likely includes you. Your brain is a complex organ and does much more than your consciousness is aware of (at least at first), and understanding it is not a guarantee, nor is it necessary to live. You must take time and effort to reveal this hidden world inside your mind before you can ever hope to fully understand yourself and the world around you.

Mimicry Can Make You Smarter

February 21, 2013 / Sam Shadow (SMSHDW)

Today’s video talks about how mimicking intelligent people can reveal hidden behavior and nuances. This can be an incredibly useful tool for waking up to reality, gaining new perspective, and understanding the world. I also talk about how desensitization can lead to an awakening by forcing people to reassess their opinions of certain matters. I specifically speak of 4chan and how consistent use can allow a person to relax to the sort of content found of their image board and ask questions like, “why did I find this so offensive in the first place, when now I find it funny? Was I overreacting? What other beliefs and opinions do I hold that might be wrong?”

Lastly, I talk about how ordinary anonymity offers the most freedom and potential in life. By being born into riches or nobility, a fate many would probably wish for, you may actually have stifled growth because your future and behavior is controlled. By being a “no one” in life (at least at first), you’re allowed to define your reality and find whatever purpose and direction you want (especially if you experience an awakening).