Lee wrote: Are you comparing yourself to Nisargadatta?
Max wrote- There is no comparison....we are the same thing, one.
Last night it was raining and one of my six month old kittens brought in a small snake. I am a big fan of reptiles and all animals. The smake was curled up, wet and cold. Which was good, as he could not move much and therefore might not be injured.
I held him and examined him to see if he was alright. He was, and he was wonderful. The feel of him was wonderful. I then put him in a container with some cloths, and he hid underneath them.
The rain was pouring down, and I was going to wait until it passed to put the snake outside again.
An hour later I put on my boots, took the container with the snake, and with flashlight in hand I went out into the woods. (Both a possum and a coon ran off with my walking.)
I walked far away from the house, and deep into the woods where I found a perfect spot for snake. When I opened the lid, the snake had warmed up and was very active. This made me very happy. I then let him out of the container and he swiftly moved under the leaves and under a fallen branch. I walked back into the house smiling.
Between cats and a nearby road, many snakes and reptiles do not fare as well as this one did. Snakes are snakes, basically the same, but their fate is very different. Only a few are saved. Only a few are held with hands of love for them. Only a few live and die with having had a human heart care for them.
Humans are the same- one- but only a few will realize this oneness. Not just a truth or concept in the mind- but realize.
There are very few human Beings on the planet. Mostly there are human doings and human thinkers or actors. Human Beings are divine. The Being in the human is God. And is not fleeting, but is eternal. This Being or consciousness is that which was never born or never dies. It is always Now.
The human form, all form, is fleeting. And this is not to be worshipped. But that which is within all form, the essence, the Being, the consciousness- this is that which is eternal. There is an expression that says, “don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.”
And even form is precious- when one can see the formlessness in the form, the form is peace and love and goodness.
As long as the human being remains , then it's a fleeting state and I consider it's egoic to claim to be self realized and/or free of ego.
As long as the human is identified with thought, with the small self, then it is egoic.
It is not egoic to claim to be self realized and free of the ego- if one is.
But if one is, it is not a claim. It is the Truth.
It is rare- true- but does happen. And happening more and more. Consciousness is emerging, accelerating.
As long as the human being remains , then it's a fleeting state and I consider it's egoic to claim to be self realized and/or free of ego.
This statement is “Gavel down”- No room for anything else but life without parole- life without Liberation.
What I see is that this statement is not made by the Being in you, but by the egoic mind in you. That this very statement is made by your ego. And now this ego never has to dissolve, as it rests on the belief- “it is egoic to claim to be self realized/free of the ego.” This statement reads as if there is no such thing as true Self realization/ or free of the ego- meaning death of the ego. Who profits by this- not God.
Of course one believes what they believe- but I know that this is not true. Self Realization happens and death of the ego happens and awareness of awareness happens- and consciousness becomes conscious of itself- and this never leaves- unlike a temporary experience.
Yes, there are many who deceive themselves or others into thinking they are Realized when they are not. And spiritual discernment is for this. It is easy to spot the fakers. It is also easy to spot the Real.
As long as the human being remains , then it's a fleeting state and I consider it's egoic to claim to be self realized and/or free of ego.
At least open the door to “Self realization/ free of ego is possible.”
After all, if you just look it- the statement is only an idea. And it’s inaccurate. To say, there are egos who claim they are self realized- that is true. To say- human “beings’ are fleeting and I consider it egoic to claim to be self realized-free of ego”- is presumptuous and untrue- an opinion- but one that is devastating- especially for one who is into true spirituality.
You can be at peace and in a state of awareness and observation, but not all the time....that would defeat the purpose, imo
What purpose would it defeat?
It is not enough to be at peace and in a state of awareness and observation- though this is a great place to be that few ever enter.
Awareness itself becomes Aware of Itself- this is way beyond the person or personal. This is very Real, Very Alive, It is Energy, It Is Space- Nothingness recognizing itself and it very much Felt.
The depth of who you are is deeper than where you are. The price is the ego- which fights this, resists this. Comes up with ideas that protect itself.
The separation is created by the desire to know yourself. Truly you can't know what you are, until you know what you're not.
The separation is created by the desire to know yourself.
This is the one desire that is pure, true and a step to knowing who you are.
If this desire- this seeking- itself is the desired, and not the finding, then it is egoic. “Seek but don’t find”. But if the desire is a means to finding- then it is a divine desire.
The separation is caused by the illusion that one is separate from the Source, from God. It’s purpose Is knowing what you are not. This entire dream is that which we are not. Duality is that which we are not. God is like the color Blue- and that is who we are. But if all is Blue God cannot recognize or know itself. Thus the dream and all the colors of the rainbow- contrast. And getting lost in all those colors and the dream itself. Must get lost to be found.
God wants to know itself and the human is the vehicle in which it can know itself. Through the human it can see Blue and realize that it is Blue. When this happens, it is not a person that it is happening to, persons/people are of the mind- the illusion. Humanity is one organism. It is the Being within this “person” that Sees- that Realizes, that Knows itself. And This Being- Is one Being in all. The same Being.
The separation is created by the desire to know yourself.
Where does this thought come from? It is the exact opposite of the truth. If this is believed, there is no hope. But that would be the purpose. The true desire to know yourself is God desiring to know itself. The longing for God is God longing for itself. “I was a hidden treasure that wanted to be known.”
Your call "O God!" is My call "I am here."
Your supplication is My message, dear,
And all your striving to come close to Me
Is but a sign that I draw you to Me.
Your loving quest and pain: signs of my grace!
In each "O God!" a hundred "Here's My Face!"
Rumi
That said, he has his pearls of wisdom but as another contributor pointed out be nice to yourSelf and your Self will be nice to you. I have issues with the rude and condescending. The day I don't I will be enlightened indeed! 
