Awakening (Why Is It Taking So Long to Wake Up?) 

I had an Awakening when I was 22-23 yoa. I didn't work at retaining what I had found. At about 26 and in the middle of professional school, I lost focus and my ego came roaring back. Dr. Dilullo has convinced me that a practicing physician, like myself, can still live an Awakened life and do all the things that need to be done to live life successfully and care for my patients and family. It's my turn.

3 strategies / approaches 1- Self inquiry: Notice any thought: "that's a thought", who are you who is aware of the thought right now? Settle there. The thoughts come and go 2- Just de-identify from thoughts: why am I believing the story? Let's see. What's the next thought ? Looking for thoughts. It causes gaps between thoughts (Cf. Thoughtless space). Just keep being vigilant. Pay attention. 3- "Who am I?" "What am I" I'm not a thought. What's aware of the thoughts ? Look and settle in. You still ask "Who am I ?"

Really appreciate the time you take to teach

The book is awesome too. The videos clarifies and reinforces the messages in the book! Thanks for putting this out in the world man, really appreciate it!

ACIM: Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God. In other words: Your thoughts are not real. Don't believe anything you think. You are not the roles you play...

Angelo, Thanks for this… it is so direct, how could anyone miss it? I will listen to this lesson repeatedly, but for now I’ll be taking your wisdom into my practice. You rock!❤️🙏🏻

I think it's possible that for some of us a deep intellectual understanding paves the way and then awakening sneaks up on you. There's openings but no dramatic "event" just clarity, equanimity and peace most of the time. Holding on to the idea of a big bang moment kept me from noticing what was already here.

I feel like you are always talking directly to me. It's so weird. Very cool. Magickal in a way. It's exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you Mind = blown 🤯

I feel like you understand what I’m going through with the incessant thinking and feeling uncomfortable inside my body better than anyone I have ever listened to Angelo. I have had glimpses in the past of non-dual awareness but I haven’t been able to do so in several years. I’m 26 and feel like my life up until this point has been chacterized by dysphoric states of mind more or less 24/7 and wondering where I would be in life if I was able to live life with a feeling of equanimity. I truly want to put an end to my suffering. This video ignited a fire inside me that I believe will help me achieve that goal. I feel like I have become obsessed with THINKING about awakening and meditation instead of actually practicing it. I fantasize about how much better my life will be when I can live from a state of non dual awareness that I have had glimpses of before. What intrigues me is that those brief moments of non dual awareness I had years ago were so unlike my normal state of being it kinda scared me. Watching your videos made me realize that this is normal part of awakening. Can’t wait to start this journey. I am all in.

And then you discover how really long it took, but it feels a second.❤

This past couple of weeks has been driving me crazy. I always looked forward to my time spent in meditation but here lately it's been like the attack of the chaos thoughts!!! I laugh now, but I didn't realize until today that it is the ego trying to protect its self. DUH.... thanks for this video.....moving forward....

Angello, you're the fkn man. Utterly direct pointing

This is gold for seekers. Your words provide a soothing remedy to seemingly vain seekers, Angelo. Well, I speak for myself at least. This was therapeutic. Thank you so much.

Your statement about awakening having nothing to do with thoughts - brought me to a full stop. I must be so in my mind I never considered that! It all seems much clearer now. Thx🙏🏻

the queen of england be watching this like, "well yeah actually, I do feel like the queen of england"

Almost a half hour of pointing! Yayyyyyyy! Thanks man 😁!

Yup, that's what I needed to hear. Thank you thank you thank you.

Impressive video, Angelo:-) It really resonated with me and it feels like we're having a conversation, even though I am only listening. I'm also impressed with your t-shirt collection. It's the antithesis of the black tee Steve Jobs approach. Nothing enlightened about a black, plain cotton T-shirt😄. Lots of questions but I'll save for another time. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to helping us wake up.

In my experience, severe anxiety and depression are the evolutionary catalyst to awakening. About a year ago mine materialized out of deep suffering, loss and bad choices…. The “me” was gone… and the timeless now pushed through. One year later I’m still experiencing the deepening… the visual, auditory, tactile and energetic perceptions are so profound/ different then before. I’ve never been more at peace and so clear that everything is fundamentally wonderful, unfolding as it should, loving, beautiful and peaceful than I ever dared to “think”. There is only now and your essence is inextricably linked with NOW. It’s one thing. You are it. ❤️

From the pointing, to the background, to the shirt- everything on point 🤘 🙌

I loved this video, the line, " it is somewhat absurd to look for yourself" (or something similar to that )really struck me as an aha, then everything just became very clear and quiet.

Thanks for this! 😀🙏 Thoughts are so pervasive, and I never really noticed just how often my emotions (thoughts) are/were intertwined with thoughts and ideas about situations. I'm realizing there's a LOT of inferences being created by me based on thoughts, in my immediate reality. Recognizing patterns of behaviour that seem predictive based on reactions to certain thoughts and it seems quite mechanical and predictable. In some moments I've stopped mid reaction and it's like a slow motion, out of body perspective observing myself and whatever emotion was bubbling (anger) dissipates and it's quite sudden. Before, it would linger around in a little feedback loop of repetitive thought reinforcements feeding off on the energy of negative emotions. And now I'm having moments of respite from automatic reactionary thoughts. Conceptually it's easy to understand the illusory nature of a false sense of self based on thought and ego. I'm practicing understanding this for myself but it's unbelievable just how machiavellian the mind is... Total trickster! I fall into the first camp of lifelong suffering through imprisonment of thoughts and the possibility of a reprieve from a false attachment to this self sounds like a gift. I've always just assumed this was me and this was my fate so realizing the truth as to what I am/am not as being a possibility sounds like a miracle to me 😊

What's interesting is I'm finding some inquiries really work while other just dont. So experiment until something clicks for you! Im starting to develop my own taylored inquiries. For me "where am I" and then trying to find a self in the phenomenal experience. I basically start at the sense door and work back to where the sense goes to. Just like the Bhayia Sutta - in the hearing just the heard, in the seeing just seeing, in cognizing just cognition, in the hearing just sound.

I needed to hear this today... when the student is ready the teaching shows up... always! Thx Angelo! 🙏❤

Thank you 🙏🌷

Angelo, I am consistently astounded at how spot on you are. Not that I know what you know of course, but it all resonates and vibrates as incredibly familiar and equally comforting.

Not a looking but a settling in! BINGO! Wow! YESSSS! THANK YOU! That kind of teaching like in "Awareness watching Awareness" made a little sense in the beginning, then it began to feel kind of OFF. The shift is kind of looking from it and simultaneously being it! In that duality collapses. The "settling in" gives it a flavor of more deeply relaxing into it, kind of morphing into it, and then just being. Thank you soooo much!

'I'm sick and tired!' 'Hi there Sick and Tired.....'

Thanks!

This is so fucking good, thank you! ❤

Thinking is dreaming...what we label ,,live " simply is dreaming as most vivid and real...though when u have a closer look...u see its a dream...right here...right now...instantly...is all made up...all 2gether...❤ THX 4 THE DREAMTALK ❤

Wow. Brilliant. Why are you so much clearer about "waking up" than the dozens of other qualified masters I have read, studied, listened to, and learned from? Dang. The snowball is picking up speed down this hill. LOL! (Thank you...again and again and again...)

I had the thought when you described the 3 categories that you left out a 4th category: people who are Simply Always Awake, like you, Gangaji, Eckhart Tolle... Thank you so much for your super clear concise sharing on this topic that so many of us are grappling with. Your words and presence seem to resonate with me even more deeply than any of the other teachers I mentioned, and that is really saying something! I found your interview with Gangaji while I was deliberating on whether or not to sign up for her Fallen Leaf Lake retreat in Tahoe in May. I'm now doing it. It'd be awesome to see you there! Namaste

Who? Love. Who? Peace. Immense gratitude for the teaching 💞

This helped , I now know it’s the ego tricking me and is getting my attention when it tells me I’m missing out and tells me I’m not good enough. Thanks for the pointers.

Pure gold

Fabulous!

I really appreciate this, Angelo. If I’m honest with myself, I’m not sure what camp I fall in, especially after recently getting some reprieve from the dysphoria I began experiencing earlier this year. But, I keep coming back to your videos and book, and it’s getting easier to observe my thoughts, pay attention to my senses, and my reactions to other people. I don’t want to close off the awakening process. But, there’s a nagging ambivalence as well, which I see now are just thoughts.

Another brilliant video !!! Thank you Angelo 💌

The person doesn't want to give up the person, the person wants to use the person to give up the person and experience it, that will never happen.

Love this brilliant pointing. Bring it on...what is the next thought...vigilance! Thanks for the incredible guidance 🙏

Yay for this video! 💜

Thanks for this video ! It is an excellent exercise for awakening! I found someone comment about you in a different channel and I have been watching your videos , before I found you I simply had a visualization of a book with a tittle “Awake”, I have been getting a call from the Universe to awake since 2018, divorce and death of the father of my 2 sons , then a series of events, relationships falling apart and meeting a Twin Flame put me in a position of wanting to awake, I dedicate myself to my kids and reading , walking , watching videos , it will happen sooner or later , I have always found spirituality a very interesting topic.

I love you Angelo ❤

Thanks for the video. It helped clear a number of things for me. I've been doing thoughts de-identification mostly and lately feels like there is an added bit... every thought seems to point to a different illusory self and I've been noticing those... it's like a network of identities that it's pointing to rather than just a single I. The thoughts are pointing all over the place... to physical sensations, memories, other thoughts, etc but none of them to the whole.

This is so hugely helpful- thanks Angelo!

Be patient dude, you'll wake up when it's time.

I heard your most recent interview and was surprised to hear that it sounds like you still work a full time job as well as being so dedicated to this channel/the book/sharing around this. As a matter of fact, if you’re working full time as a doc and doing all of this too, that is almost more surprising to me than the fact that you’ve experienced awakening! Also, I sent you an inquiry on your website around having a chat with you on unspeakable bliss podcast.

Angelo, you're brilliant. For me, you're the most clear, thorough and practical contemporary teacher (and I'm familiar with a bunch of traditional and eclectic ones!) I've ever seen. The fact that your phenomenological descriptions are very precise is a massive cherry on top. A thought: the titles and preview pictures of your videos can look kinda cheesy to the people who are into hardcore practice yet are aversive to the more popular shallow esoteric woo-type stuff, and that's what makes them misleading, because you are absolutely not that kind of teacher/person. Thought you should know this!

Thanks

This is, imo, all that matters. I wish they would talk about awakening at school. Ps.I love yr background visuals.

In the second approach you mentioned about vigilantly looking for the next thought to arise I believe you said even though you had a combination of all 3 approaches happen, this was sort of the one that you focused on the most. Did you set aside some time throughout your day to do this practice or were you consciously throughout your entire day whenever possible trying to look for the next thought?

Your videos are great. Really have come to me at the right time, and helped clarify awakening over here. Question: have you experienced (seeming) kundalini awakening? And tips for coping?

❤

I want to awaken!!!

Its interesting just now...how immediate all work. I hear this sounds now twice...just a different hearing also comes up...which exactly I was pondering about...why people feel attracted 2 u and act they are so open 4 this deeper knowing and when u actually take them a little down there...they act weird...either upset or avoid etc.a bit later ...though I can see what u say and describe with the Ego.When its not ready or in the fire truly 4 the this and kinda truly want 2 know= backs up and u can watch clearly...that what the person just wants= a little bit hope...meaning and maybe approval and affection and when u not apply 2 their persona...they close up= a common pattern 2 watch. Therfore sometimes I really just think = better 2 seriously keep quiet and not fall 4 this play...since its kinda senseless somehow. I think who really wants 2 know ...not get upset or definsive about it...maybe reflect on it...though not act all odd...u know what I mean. When u really want some ...u don't care 2 much how it sounds...if good or bad 4 u...u will pay the price 4 it and whatever we label as truth = priceless indeed. Thx 4 this reflection...just fit perfect. Somehow we are one mind here.

👍❤️🙏🌈 beautiful

I keep flitting from thought de identification to looking for the one who is aware of the thoughts. Maybe I need to be more consistent with one method? Every time I look for the one who is aware, I just find nothing, there is nothing there.

While doing the inquiry or so just “being”, sleep starts to come. I notice it first comes as a subtle thought which is recognised and dismissed. But it persists. Do you have any suggestions for that? And sometimes in half sleep state random pictures and short videos are played in the mind that identifies with false I. So when body wakes up I notice the identification with the person has returned. Any suggestions on inquiring sub conscious thoughts as well during this state?

Who are these people who can just enjoy their lives? I run into them sometimes, they're genuinely enjoying this whole thing about being a person. Maybe we should be learning from them?! Rather than the shipwrecks that lead to awakening. I don't know!

I am has nothing to do with thoughts, anything said by mind after "i am" would just be a story, i'm just telling this to myself so I'll remenber but felt i needed to write it down

An overwhelming fear approaches… a fear of dissolving, a fear of emptiness, nothingness, losing it… then there is a return… this has happened several times - it’s quite different to that pure unbound silence which is ‘pleasurable’ ‘beautiful’… this I thought was ‘being there’ but have since heard you talk about the subtle subtle thought in this state which I realise is true… it’s facing that fear that is the challenge… it’s scary 👽 but I’m still looking and facing the void but somehow unable to ‘go beyond’… any pointers Angelo?🦅

If everything is a tought even i dont know, then what is real?

Shit. This really hit home for me bro. Who in the bloody hell is looking?????? I can see all kinds of weird thoughts (lol) passing by like leaves in the wind but who the bloody hell is looking??? Ok! Im in! Truly interesting! Who is the one looking at anything really lol.... Super funny.. I think this will be my inquiry! Cant stop laughing.. This is seriously interesting... But wo is the one thinking its interesting, lol...

How common is it to have a sort of "glimpse" without being able to sink into it again? I had one 6 months ago that lasted about 3 seconds. After I was inspired for about a week, but since I have been only kind of half trying and not really taking this as seriously. Since then however I have been suffering quite a bit and have had non-stop suicidal thoughts and feelings of hopelessness. They are not related to awakening, but related to past regrets. I notice however I am slowly changing certain behaviors, though it is difficult, and recently wanted to start trying to really live my life in a way that can let me return to what I experienced. However, I remember you mentioned something about staying away with suicidal ideation, but also you said that once you start it's too late to stop. Then you also talk a lot about repressed emotions and conditioning. I am really just trying to make sense of this all and I don't know the best way to proceed. Should I take a break or continue? Should I get a psychiatric evaluation? I should also mention that I've had fairly severe undiagnosed mental health issues for at least 15 years before this, but not related to suicide.

Hello Doc! I noticed your book isn't on Audible. MIght it be soon?

Whats your name brother? When I talk to my already non dual seeing wife, I have to say "simply always awake", or "Old mate"

OMG! :o

I feel like there is an evolutionary pressure to wake up right now. At least for a certain percentage of population.

Do you have any advice for someone who has studied Madhyamaka (even if they only have an intellectual understanding), and has a hard time believing that there's even a "self" to be found?

Don't we even have to look or see at our experience what's going on ? So letting go of seeing what's happening here also ? While there not even that looking also it feels like no center of anything and falls asleep

Hello. Thank you for the video. I arrived to this video because I had the same question before or another question was "what is blocking or preventing me from waking up now." Two (2) things that appear to stand in the way. That is time and belief system. Based on my investigation, my direct experience and deep science, such as quantum physics, support that time does not exist. Even truly awakened people state that there is "no timeline" because You are already It, That, This formless Self, Being right here and now. So take time out of the equation. QUESTION: When there is no time, there is no "grace" too, right? My answer is correct because "grace" is also a thought/belief. Please do share your insightful answer. Then, recently in my investigation, the above questions appear to imply there is some kind of a boundary between "me" (ego self) and "no me" or "no-thing" (nameless/formless Self). The idea of "boundary" was further investigated. As it turns out, it was "me" who put up the boundary. It was "me" who had a belief there was a boundary to sense separation between "me" and the formless Self. I understand, intellectually, this "boundary" is an illusion/thought/belief. ANOTHER QUESTION: Should "Neti, Neti" be constantly applied in self-inquiry, including to all knowledge from reading books or watching videos on non-duality? My answer is yes because the all that is "known" came from nothing or the unknown. Please do share your answer. Thank you and your insightful answers are deeply appreciated. 🙏

but how can we distinguish between which thoughts are real and which aren’t? To communicate in this video you had to think and use words. Or do we only enter the thought world when communicating with others?

So nothing is real then. everything that’s in my perception, thoughts, feelings, sensations and my body. I’m not the one doing this person, something else is. Every one in my reality pops up in front of me or acts out my thoughts. It’s like I am a character in a dream-simulation playing out yet it’s not me, none of it’s true it’s all lies. I have tried to commit suicide many times to try leaving here but I’m always brought back. It seems like everyone is connected to my brain and are also me. Something inside of me is stuck observing everything.

😂🤣😂😘

Hello Angelo … would it be possible to have your email? 🙏🏽

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Thanks

Thanks!

Thanks