nistake

@Javfly33 How do you know that?

Everyday Enlightenment: Seven Stories of Awakening https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Enlightenment-Seven-Stories-Awakening/dp/0955829038 I really liked this book. The reason why I only gave it 8 points is that it's a bit short. Anyway, this book is written in a direct and non-bullshit language. It clearly shows that enlightenment is not some super special "state" that only a chosen few can "attain". Warning: reading this book may shatter your lofty ideas about awakening

This guy is pretty much legit and the first post is actually quite a helpful pointer. Zen masters tend to play paradoxical games and give confusing answers on purpose since enlightenment cannot be grapsed/realized by the mind. Koans exist for this very reason. Every single idea you have about it, it's not it. And yes, this can be really frustrating, but there's no other way. Either you completely stop and listen to the silence as long as it takes or you keep entertaining thoughts and ideas thus running in circles.

When you walk through a forest that has not been tamed and interfered with by man, you will see not only abundant life all around you, but you will also encounter fallen trees and decaying trunks, rotting leaves and decomposing matter at every step. Wherever you look, you will find death as well as life. Upon closer scrutiny, however, you will discover that the decomposing tree trunk and rotting leaves not only give birth to new life, but are full of life themselves. Microorganisms are at work. Molecules are rearranging themselves. So death isn't to be found anywhere. There is only the metamorphosis of life forms. What can you learn from this? Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.

@Natasha How awesome is this guy

@Natasha This is the original. Applies even more

@Natasha Wow, taking the holistic approach was literally life-saving then. Awesome! ?

@Natasha Did you take the prescribed meds and chemo and stuff, or you just went rogue and did the holistic approach?

@allislove

@allislove I read this sentence in a book just today:

The universe is providing exactly what you need at every moment, even though you may not like it.

You don't want to accept the ordinary. It's like: "This can't be it. Is this all there is to it?" That's what keeps you from recognising what it is - the expectation that it is not this, but it's over there somewhere, it's going to get better, brighter - whatever the expectations are, whatever you have been conjuring up in your mind.

What you resist, persists. You may be able ignore your sexual urges for a while by repressing them, but it's a counterproductive strategy in the long run. Let's try this on for size. The next time you feel the urges coming on, just go somewhere where you can be alone. Sit down, relax your whole body, take a few deep breaths. Then mindfully observe and really feel into the urges. Try to locate them in your physical body. Stay with the feelings with a few minutes and they should go away by themselves. What's really important is that you shouldn't repress and judge these feelings. If you really can't handle the urges and they constantly disrupt your everyday life, well, you may have a problem, but even masturbation can be done mindfully. Of course, the best solution would be engaging in healthy sexual relationships with actual girls.

I've never slept a day in my life?

Thoughts in your head are really no different than the sound of a bird outside. It is just that you decide that they are more or less relevant.

Happy/unhappy and developed/undeveloped are dualities, so these are viewed and understood completely different from the perspective of "enlightened people". However, awakened people function in the everyday life too. They work, have prefrences, engage in relationships and so on. They may even decide that they want to improve in certain areas in their lives. The big difference is that they don't do it because of neurotic and egoistic desires to 'get somewhere' or to 'get fulfilled'. They are already complete and whole (just like everybody else), so the decision is just a simple decision. It's much more free-flowing and no additional stories and certain attachments are involved.

@Chives99 I know it can be frustrating. I also went through this phase. Do your practises, be patient and trust the process. I'm sure it'll all be resolved in time.

If you have the desire to be alone, then do so. Spend time in solitude, meditate, contemplate, write a journal. Don't disconnect yourself completely from others though, so tend to your necessary social obligations, but be alone as much as you can. Eventually it's gonna come full circle and you'll realize that disconnecting yourself is not the ultimate solution either. Anyway, don't worry about that right now. Do what your intuition tells you.

If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place. Primary reality is within; secondary reality without.

I used to listen to hardstyle a lot. I even went to the Netherlands 3 times, just to participate hard dance events. Back then, I wasn't into spirituality and I didn't know anything about self-actualization. I only knew one thing: I loved hardstyle. Those parties and festivales are fond memories. I clearly remember when I was in the crowd and my favorite tracks came on, it was pure bliss. I danced and jumped around like a madman. Nothing mattered, there was no past/future, just the glorious present moment. Almost like a quasi flow oneness state. And the funny thing is that I was completely sober. I may not enjoy hardstyle that much anymore, I kinda feel like I grew out of it. Although that doesn't mean that it's "high-consciousness" or not. Who cares about labels anyway. Actually, I think I'll go to a hardstyle event just for the fun of it when the this whole covid stuff blows over (if ever).

The reason why some people love to engage in dangerous activities, such as mountain climbing, car racing, and so on, although they may not be aware of it, is that it forces them into the Now—that intensely alive state that is free of time, free of problems, free of thinking, free of the burden of the personality.