nistake

I used to be a huge fan of the shuffle dance back then. I also had some friends and we regularly practised. Here's a video. I'm the first guy (0:00-0:27)

Check out this video: Especially from 4:20

@Nash If you're a Zen master with 40 years of meditation under your belt, then it's possible to have no thoughts at all. Otherwise, it's nearly impossible and that's not even the point of meditation. Meditation is being as present and self-aware as possible and basically allowing everything to arise without attachments.

Been doing it for 3 months now. It's great, convenient, lost some weight. However, it doesn't grant me superpowers, incredible mental clarity and all that jazz.

From an interview with Adyashanti: Safransky: Many masters turn out to be abusing their power: conducting inappropriate financial dealings or having sex with their disciples while advocating celibacy. Why do you think that happens? Adyashanti: I can take a guess. There’s a lot of power inherent in enlightenment — or the perception of it — and spiritual power is no less corrupting than any other power. In fact, it may be even more corrupting. I remember the first time I became conscious of this: I started teaching at thirty-three; most everybody was older than me, and more educated, and smarter. They had better jobs and all that. As I was driving home from teaching one night, it suddenly hit me: I could go in there and say almost anything and make them believe it. I saw, all at once, the incredible frailty of human beings. And I understood how intelligent, well-educated people can get involved in cults and the most ridiculous ideas: when we are in the grasp of ego, we’re extraordinarily vulnerable. As soon as I realized this, something else arose, which was this extraordinary distaste for it. That sort of power isn’t a pleasant thing to have. Now I look back at my teacher, Arvis Joen Justi, and see that her most important transmission to me was her integrity, because it gave me that distaste for power and influence. I can only guess that some people, even people with the best intentions, start to find that power enticing. When you’re a spiritual teacher, you’re living in the projections of people around you. They have a tendency to see you as godlike, and that is not a healthy environment for anybody. But a spiritual teacher, by nature, has to exist in it. I’ve found that the more you try to correct this perception, the stronger it becomes. People just think you’re even better, because you’re not like all the teachers who are encouraging their students to see them as demigods. There’s no way around the projection game, and the potential is always there for it to corrode my integrity. I’m not immune to that. In fact, as soon as I conclude that I could never take advantage of people, it’s already started. It’s a subtle thing that can easily grow as time goes on, because there’s usually not someone around to say to the teacher, “Hey, this isn’t right.” Spiritual students are almost encouraged to think that because the teacher is an enlightened being, he or she knows everything. So people check their good sense at the door. What I tell people is that if you’re seeking enlightenment, your good sense is vital. In fact, you’re going to have to learn to trust it more and more. I think people actually know early on when something’s off about a teacher, but they think they must be wrong, because an enlightened person can’t do any wrong. And that’s not true. Enlightened people can do wrong. They can do harmful things. I think sometimes they don’t know it themselves. My teacher told me, “There are lots of temptations out there. If you ever think you can’t handle those temptations, stop before you do something stupid.” That was a promise I made to her. We shouldn’t make the assumption that lust or greed or corruption could never emerge in us. It clearly can. Humility is always the best protection against being corrupted by power.

His recent video about confidence is actually pretty great.

Great idea. This is what actual "pick-up" is supposed to be.

@kireet That's great man. Also, If you have some years of meditation under your belt, you'll have a foundation for psychedelics.

Enlightenment/consciousness work is not a race. It's not about reaching the finish line as soon as possible. Having said that, you'll get huge insights by using psychedelics but you're still very young. what's the rush? I suggest you stick with meditation and/or self-inquiry, find your life purpose, exercise regularly, eat healthy food, etc. Do this for several years and when you feel the need for psychedelics deep down, then use them.

This dopamine detox thing sounds like a good idea.

Now we're talking.

This!

@Soulbass Yes, even in winter. I don't check the temperature. By the way, I've also taken ice baths 3 times (only for ~3 minutes).

I agree. When I started doing cold showers it was excruciating. I couldn't bear it but I persisted. I've been doing it more than a year now and I haven't looked back. It's not so bad anymore and the refreshing buzz affter effect is really good.

Imagine waking up to this song...

@Member Yeah, I guess you're right. Hopefully he'll stay on the spiritual path. He already has a huge viewer base, so maybe he'll be able to influence lots of people in a good way.

@Member Well, dude does one ayahuasca session and now convinced that he's found the ultimate truth and needs to save everybody on the planet. I'm not saying this is wrong or anything, in fact, it's much-much better than his usual orange shenanigans. I'm just saying that he's not really into the position where can teach enlightenment/spirituality authentically with these overdramatic youtube videos. The way I look at it, this guy is pretty much the definition of spiritual ego.

Now that's a prime example of spiritual ego

@dimitri Yup, pretty much this. Don't worry about gurus, just do your daily practises without expectations. The effects that you're looking for are not in the future, they can only be found in the present. Also, try to be present when doing mundane, everyday things. Doing dishes, working, studying, etc. Way harder than it sounds

It's pretty much social conditioning. It's not set in stone that you have to have a lot of friends otherwise there's something wrong with you. If you feel comfortable with only a few people, that's perfectly fine. If it's just only one person, also fine. I think it's good to maintain a healthy balance between solitude and socializing. Don't force either one though otherwise it'll bite you in the ass.

When your love is truly unconditional, you love him whether he's Leo, a serial killer, an alien or just a thought in your mind.