- Nonexistence of sense organs : Leo contends that our sense organs, such as eyes, do not truly create our conscious experience. He compares our experience with a video game character like Super Mario, whose eyes are part of the game world but do not generate it. Similarly, despite our physical senses being observable in the mirror or through touch, they are not the originators of our perceived world but rather components of an illusion.
- Misinterpretation of perception : The concept that our brain and eyes produce colors and interpret reality is a scientific story we've been told, one that is imaginative rather than factual. Leo emphasizes the difference between raw sensations and the metaphysically loaded notion of perception, which is intertwined with a sense of self that the ego has created.
- Direct experience versus invented stories : Leo points out that stories of how perception works have been invented by us over a lifetime, including our understanding of how the brain and eyes function. These narratives are deeply held but imaginary and must be questioned to approach a deeper understanding of reality, which is an infinite and eternal being devoid of biological or sensory constraints.
- Illusion of biological processes : The idea that optical and neural processes underlie perception is rejected by Leo as he asserts that no such mechanisms are present in direct experience. Rather than depending on sense organs, Leo suggests that reality consists of what simply is, without an underlying biological process-our eyes only 'exist' when we observe them, implying that the causality we commonly accept is fundamentally flawed.
- Challenging the survival-oriented self : By creating a sense of self that interprets sensory data to survive, we distort reality. Leo urges a radical reinterpretation of raw sense experiences and the abandonment of the self in order to perceive the true nature of existence-absolute being and infinite consciousness that transcends personal or biological identity.
- Questioning ingrained stories : We must critically examine the preconceived narratives of our existence, like the Big Bang or evolution, which have shaped our understanding but remain outside our direct experience. These are imaginative constructs not witnessed in the immediate present.
- Direct experience versus scientific context : The narrative that describes human existence-birth, evolution, and consciousness through a nervous system-is to be fully questioned and eradicated, as it is based on imagination rather than what is verifiably present right now.
- Inadequacy of explanatory models : Explanatory models are fundamentally limited and cannot fully capture the essence of reality; they're useful up to a point but fail to convey deeper truths about existence and consciousness.
- Seeking direct consciousness : True understanding of reality comes from directly experiencing the present moment without the intermediary of explanatory models. This requires sitting still, deepening one's present-moment awareness, and stripping away subconscious interpretations.
- Subconscious mind and interpretations : The subconscious mind continuously interprets the present moment, which impedes our understanding of pure reality. To break through, one must become conscious of these deep-seated interpretations and consider their absurdity.
- Breaking through to mystical experiences : Serious and rigorous questioning of one's ingrained belief systems-especially regarding personal biological existence-is necessary to achieve mystical experiences and transcend typical human consciousness.
- Confronting the survival mechanism : Removing the conceptual interpretations that support the survival mechanism is arduous and rarely pursued because it fundamentally challenges the mind's survival strategies. This deep work is the key to deconstructing the self-imposed perception of reality.