PsiloPutty

@Arkandeus That's heavy as fuck.

If he were bald, he'd sort of look like Adyashanti.

@Consilience What a great post. To the OP, try 30 minutes of mantra meditation and see what you think. Or see what you don't think. I haven't experienced any other meditation that stills my mind to the same degree of total quiet as that does. Here's a video describing what and how: http://www.meditationplex.com/how-to-meditate/deepak-chopra-mechanics-effortless-mantra-meditation/

If you have Netflix, look up "On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace." One of the most hauntingly beautiful shows I've watched this year.

Because I know that I also am wildly ignorant of certain things that other people are keenly aware of. I would like to be treated with understanding and kindness in that circumstance, so that's how I try to treat others when the table is turned. When that ignorant person is in front of you, look at him as though he were the part of YOU that is ignorant. Be tender with yourself.

@Evelyn Breath awareness during waking hours is something that I am developing as well. And I think that was the most interesting thread I've ever seen on this forum.

I go through this. I think the dissatisfaction stems from the fear that I won't progress far on this path, and eventually years will have been wasted. That's the raw fear in me. Of course when I examine it, I see that I've already progressed, and there's no reason why it won't continue, as long as I don't give in. That kind of fear easy to ignore in the short term, but hard to extinguish. Instead of wasting time trying to put it out, I just keep doing what I do, and it usually subsides. That subsiding, combined with continued effort, allows progress to take place, thus giving the fear less solid ground to stand on.

@eputkonen Gosh I enjoy your posts.

You're beautiful. I have tears in my eyes because your post rings so true in me. You'd posted in a thread I made a couple weeks ago, which was related to awareness and healing. Just illuminating our issues with the light of awareness is enough to start the healing, and while I'm sorry that your past was hurtful, I'm beyond happy that you're here on this path, and that we've seen this remarkable avenue of healing. The hurt child in us has been waiting for us to find this. Let's love those kids.

I would do the sound-focused technique when I'm in a quiet place. No point in doing it if you can't hear it. In a noisy place, I'd switch to ordinary breath-focused meditation.

@Elminiya LOL, you dug a year and a half into the archives for that?

Love back!

Wishing you well. I've enjoyed your posts, friend.

A person with the perspective of "God is not within us" is of course going to be the polar opposite of a person believing the other way around. That totally changes how you look at yourself, others (including Leo) and everything else. I'm sure he's a good person, but I disagree with him.

@Nahm You're clever. You deserve a standing ovation! Heh, get it? Ova-tion? *ba-dum-dum-tssss!*

You're right, but can you imagine giving such consideration in casual conversation? People don't know what to do when faced with such a pause from the person they're talking with, and they feel the need to fill the awkward quiet with jabberings. Maybe that's why very few people ever say anything meaningful.

LOL, "deep pauses" is a good way to put it. I was wondering if he was having a stroke or something when I watched him for the first time. He just stared at the ground for so long before answering. And then of course what came out of his mouth was verbal freakin' gold.

Hell yeah, I've had a spiritual man-crush on him for a long while.

The phraseology of this post made me laugh!!!

Cool, I'll watch it later. I love me some Shinzen.

I don't disagree with the advice to try psychedelics, but your post has MEDITATION written all over it. If you haven't done it before, just start with sitting in a chair, setting a timer for 15 mins, closing your eyes and bringing your attention to your breath going innnnn and ouuuut through your nose. You'll still have your crazy busy thoughts going through your mind, and that's normal, don't fight them off. Instead, each time you notice your attention going to one of those passing thoughts, give yourself a mental pat on the back and go back to your breath. If that happens 189 times in 15 mins (which it will!), you just congratulate yourself mentally for realizing that your mind lost its focus and go back to the breath 189 times. It'll be frustrating at first, because this is a new thing, but it gets better after a couple weeks of doing it every day. You'll get to know yourself, and that, strangely enough, will allow you to get to know every other human being who has ever lived. You'll eventually see that there's soooooo much more to this Pilgrim entity than you ever realized.

I think that's damn wonderful, man. Sounds like a rebirth! Maybe I'm on the other side of the world from you, but I'm proud of you.

@RiseAbove omg that's a good one.