Arman

Didn't follow instructions/advice on using spinal-breathing pranayama when I was around 18. It is like kriya-yoga and was used with mantra meditation alongside a few other prescribed yoga practices for working with kundalini energy etc. You were supposed to start slow and simple and only take on further progression practices once the previous ones had proved to be comfortable and balanced over several months, and warned to scale back and reduce or remove practices if you are experiencing any negative symptoms. Being naive,I didn't listen to any of that and even took on practices that were described for only people who have practiced comfortably for years. I overdid it and became very ungrounded because I was getting interesting experiences of bliss and general intense physiological stuff. It was not a spiritual pursuit for me but more wanting to get high and it was a way of escaping. Sometimes practices can create joy and all kinds of phenomena that is exciting to the ego but it is frenetic and ungrounded as opposed to integrated. Eventually over time it kind of exhausted and burnt out my nervous system and any practices would be overstimulating and overwhelming. Any pranayama would leave me severely uncomfortable for days, and even meditating for short term made me uncomfortable, ungrounded and emotionally volatile and anxious for a few days. Even ten minutes would make the next day or two quite uncomfortable. It took almost 2 years before I could meditate for any length of time again without negative symptoms and maybe another 2 years before I could feel grounded in general. There were also shorter periods of more severely uncomfortable experiences. Scary times, frankly, but worth the lessons, and also gives me an appreciation of being able to just sit in silence.

ewww no girls r gross

I like it because different perspectives seem to provide a greater level of context for the human journey which can be a useful compass and also a way to understand your own experiences of past and present, and to a lesser degree what you might expect for the future.

Given that 'the work' creates another mental framework for understanding emotions and reality - it is possible that it becomes yet another barrier in the long run because if you become attached to it or create your identity around it, then it is one more thing that needs to be surrendered. Clearing emotions goes a tremendous way towards increasing happiness, reducing mental chatter and increasing consciousness, clarity and insight. If you can turn the same release mechanism illumined in her work ultimately towards ALL aspects of life, including sense of self and all belief systems no matter how subtle (ie. I am healing. I have thoughts. I exist.) than it's possible. At any rate it's a highly practical tool for ascending in consciousness and making life easier so I'd suggest it

I used to be convinced that no-fap, (particularly the act of retaining sexual fluids) was a definite route of increasing energy, confidence, happiness, health, radiance, etc etc etc... I experimented a lot when I was a bit younger and had interesting results. Personally however I can no longer be sure that the connection is as direct as I had assumed because in my experience, it is possible to create this level of transformation and MORE simply through intent - that is the power of belief. It is possible to transform from depression, mental fog, insecurity and low level functioning into very high states that are sustainable for moderate periods of time simply through a correctly or conveniently placed intention or belief. This can carry profound physiological changes alongside it. Therefore, it is difficult to state just how much of a correlation there is between not masturbating and the array of profound effects that people claim. Happiness is an internal birthright and it's possible that people are temporarily taking claim to it through this 'permission slip'. I also have noticed that not many high masters have gone in depth about the connection between well-being, energy and masturbation. I have a theory that it may be because people would take it as pejorative and it may create sexual tension/shame in people - and suppressing the sexual drive can cause unforeseen consequences. Or perhaps the connection is overblown entirely.

Kundalini/kriya yoga practices are good, and I think possibly a good fit for someone who is wanting to have interesting experiences. On the same lines as ajasatya's recommendation I would also suggest aypsite.org Try not to waste time and energy on spirit guides and other kinds of communications. They are often at best distractions. The best kind of progress and joy comes from working on yourself. I also suggest a practice that will help you understand and work with your inner emotions and energies. The most radical transformations can come through things like forgiveness, letting go of anger, or processing grief. Even skeptics will believe in ghosts and devas before they will believe that forgiveness and conscious relaxation of life tensions can radically transform your life. My favourite book on this subject is Letting Go by David R Hawkins.

Life purpose =/= "what helps the world?" Traditionally when one finds their life purpose it adds to the word regardless of whether it fits the conventional picture of what helps the world and what doesn't. Don't beat yourself up for not having concern for the world, because it's not something you necessarily choose to do anymore than a mother chooses to love a child. Compassion as a quality isn't forced or efforted but is rather the spontaneous quality of certain stages. When it is more refined, there isn't 'concern' because there's a wisdom that knows that following your own unique purpose is optimal. So don't worry about it because it will come naturally and of its own volition. Be true to yourself, as you say, and explore your own unique passions and interests.

Anger is usually suppressing some deeper feelings that we are not willing to meet. At any rate, you have expressed that the situation does not change much regardless of whether you bring it up or not. Will mentioning it to him alleviate the true source of your anger? There is nothing wrong with honesty, but be wary of using it as an excuse to vent your anger. It's not about right or wrong, but effectiveness and productivity. To start to unravel and dissolve the anger is simple - it only requires the willingness to slow down a little bit and be with yourself. The anger is charged energy within you that is perpetuated through thoughts and resistance. It casts a relatively illusory field and from the energy will arise an endless number of thoughts and behaviors. There is no end to number of mental permutations. By acting through the emotional field you will only serve to perpetuate it, and by dealing with it at the level of mind you will get caught in endless subtle traps. At its root, it is simply a charged/trapped energy and a feeling. We can allow the energy to resolve/release/integrate by unconditional awareness. When anger arises, detach from your thoughts, detach from your narrative and detach from all positionalities of right, wrong, what should be done, etc. Instead, place your awareness on the very source of the feeling. The tension in the mind and throughout the body is resistance to the source of the anger. You can ask a question like "What really is this anger?" or "From where within me does this anger arise?" Then simply breathe with the feeling. When thoughts arise, notice them, detach and return to the feeling. Simply be with it without trying to change it or rid yourself of it. Within a few short minutes you will notice it will transform and begin to dissolve. In this way you will be dealing with the root cause. Unlike the gains made by listening to the ego, these kind of gains are permanent and enjoyable. By practicing this whenever the anger arises, it will unravel the energy field which is triggered into your experience. Then one of two things will occur: Either you won't be angered anymore by the things in your life (his singing will make you laugh and remind you of the lightness of life) or, miraculously and mysteriously, the things that angered you will simply stop happening.

Honestly I wanna say you've probably just had a superbly 'bad string of luck with duds... that's the only thing that makes sense to me. Try again once or twice more maybe. You're not being a sissy, those are reasonable doses and it's best to air on the side of caution. I've never heard of anyone as impervious to entheogens! Maybe people like that are out there though and it's certainly possible you're one of them. I don't think it's a matter of ego/surrender is because even if your're really 'stuck in yourself' and resistant, it doesn't mean the effects of the drugs aren't going to be obvious and apparent - just that you may not have certain kinds of experiences eg. spiritual breakthroughs, insights, etc. 150ug of LSD is not a light dose and even someone with the 'strongest' ego is going to feel it! Haven't tried AL-LAD so I can't comment on whether that is the expected results for that dose. I'd say try mushrooms or lsd from a different source at normal doses once or twice more to see if it's been bad luck or if you're unique - ideally with something confirmed as legit, maybe a friend having tried it. Then slowly try higher doses if you still don't experience anything.

you will ironically end up spending much more energy and focus on spending than the average person it's like getting someone to stop thinking about cigarettes by taking the cigarettes from them - you'll go from thinking about it sometimes to thinking about it much more often because you're coming from a place of resistance, which charges the subject

Man I have been so excited for VR since day one but I just realized how insanely accelerated the dystopian aspects of humanity are going to become.

Somewhat controversial figure Jordon B Peterson has recently crowdfunded a series of lectures on the psychological significance of the stories within the bible. The first lecture 'Introduction to the idea of God' has been released. I think they'll be released on a weekly basis, and if he reaches his next crowd-funding goal, which seems likely, then they'll be bi-weekly. I've been excited about this series for a while. If you haven't been exposed to Jordan's talks before then give him just 5 minutes listening and you may very well find yourself absorbed and captivated.

A lot of people seem to think mushrooms enable some kind of telepathic experience. Particularly when taken with those we're close with. Talking with a friend while on psychedelics is fun, but language can feel inhibiting and I find we're usually just trying to express the inexpressible. Talking can also be clumsy when high. It feels to me like a waste of energy attempting to englishify your experiences on the fly instead of just moving through them silently. Though I guess it depends on your intentions. If you want fun and connection then talk, but also keep in mind you have unlimited time after the retreat to relate insights and experiences together.

No formal technique is necessary. Through intention alone you can cultivate all kinds of states - from the mundane to the exalted. Easier said than done though. Sometimes techniques and formal practices only work more easily because they bypass our held beliefs about what we can and can't do. We think we can't just simply relax and be happy for no reason other than because we want to, so we meditate because we believe that will do it for us, and then we reap some of the results. Bashar would call these 'permission slips'. It is possible to create a state inwardly and hold that identity or state firmly, and eventually that identity or reality will be reflected in your emotions, thoughts, physicality, and the rest of your experience allowing for a total transformation. One of the powers behind psychedelics is that they temporarily strip away lots of held limiting beliefs and so it's easier to access states of higher clarity, intuition or bliss - but this dynamic can reinforce the idea we need to do something (take something, do a certain kind of meditation, etc) to reach certain states of being. It is possible to, for example, work yourself into states of really high bliss comparable to MDMA, or to effortlessly receive answers to your questions. This can be done by consciously generating the reality of your desire inwardly. If you continue to look towards your external experience to determine how you aught to feel, think and behave, then you will continue to generate that same reality which is governed by unconscious patterns. If you can consciously hold your inward reality and choose to frame your entire experience as confirmation of the reality that you're now choosing to align with, then it's only a matter of time before it is reflected externally . The art comes in aligning in fulfillment of your chosen reality now. If you are expecting, waiting or hoping for a change in the external reality, then that change won't come because you're still associating with the old experience. If you know you can have anything you want right now by freely and consciously choosing to have it and so you rest in that fulfillment now, then reality will start to quickly align with that experience and generate it in your external experience, feeling, thoughts, synchronicities and whatever perceptions it takes to fulfill your desired state perfectly. It's a bit of an art and there are many different techniques, teachings and approaches on the subject. A lot of it is just removing the barriers and beliefs that say you can't generate your states from within - or that external reality governs in the internal. Experience says that the opposite is true - that the inward reality generates your entire experience. Discovery of this takes some dedication, openness, but most importantly the willingness to find out for yourself.

Are you becoming mad because of your thoughts? Are you hoping or expecting to sit and have a clear and still mind? Anger is usually resistance to something so perhaps you are resisting the fact that you are having thoughts. Mindfulness is not about repressing thoughts or necessarily trying to make your body or mind still. It may be your goal to eventually live with still mind and clarity, but for now you can relax by accepting what your experience is like. Relaxation makes progression easier. Having thoughts, emotions and frustrations doesn't mean that you are not making progress. Even getting angry about the situation can be progress. If you find anger arising, just observe that anger and try to breathe through it and be with it without labeling your efforts as a failure. Instead label them as a success. If anger is arising, you are doing extra well. Keep practicing, keep observing and keep accepting, and your experience will transform over the days and weeks.

Edit: nvm

Nice. Consider scaling back the intensity and/or length of your practices so you can progress in a smooth, grounded and enjoyable way. Remember to stay hydrated and eat healthy. If you are experiencing psychosis and mental disturbances then it may be time to be more gentle, as pushing ahead can compound on uncomfortable symptoms.

my response was just to the video, missed your reply, but empty calories is a great way to put it

Seems like a very limited view of intelligence. The implication seems to be that a higher level of intelligence = having less friends by choice but it actually seems to be more the case that people who think they are choosing to have less friends actually have an inability to bond, connect, or just be at ease with other humans. It's easier to just say that nobody gets you because you're too high a level. There's great joy in friendship and social interaction. Acute intelligence in just one area can distorts perception, especially if someone is identified with that intelligence. Like being mildly autistic or something. If someone had a great degree of social intelligence and could feel love and joy with practically everyone, but yet chooses not to have friends, then that would be interesting, but I don't see that being the case. Even the title of the thread says intelligence and loneliness - loneliness seems to imply lack, not inspired choice. It's like teenage kids claiming they don't get along with anyone because people "they're all sheep and don't understand the world like I do." Kind of laughable. If someone claims to be intelligent and doesn't have harmony in their family and world relationships, then I don't consider them particularly intelligent because they have ignored, neglected or just failed to understand how to move through life with basic happiness and ease. I believe basic happiness to be a sign of intelligence. Some actually claim that basic happiness is a sign of low intelligence. I think that's an unfortunate and bitter stance by those who feel stranded in life. If you don't have a base degree of social mastery then it will prove itself to be difficult to achieve large results in different areas of life, and even more difficult to move through life feeling loved, safe and happy.

At least 1000 reps and if doesn't hurt if you know how to do a few sweet skateboard tricks

I can't remember where I heard it, but supposedly flow states occur when the situation requires a certain degree of challenge or possibility to move beyond - like a baseline of challenge that pushes you. If there's too little 'challenge', then the flow state doesn't occur, but if the challenge, circumstance or stimuli is too far beyond your abilities, then you're overwhelmed and also can't enter the flow state. So if you are a chess player, you're best bet at entering the flow is playing someone who is slightly above your skill level. If you are a writer, you are more likely to enter a flow state writing something that excites and pushes you, rather than the same kind of content that is already second nature to you.

if that's your mustache in your avatar, then yes.

i've got a feelin'

Try making less of a distinction between masks you wear in social occasions and more subtle masks that are worn when you are alone. The programming/conditioning is always there - it is just heightened or triggered when you are around people - so if you are struggling to create mindfulness and act from a more grounded space when you are around people, then remind yourself that gains can be made at all times. Any time you meditation or return to your body, you are improving. Particularly it may be useful to process the emotions of the social experiences afterwards when you're by yourself. You will be able to tap back into the tightness/discomfort that you felt and use it as an opportunity to work with it. The softer you feel on the subject and the less 'strained' your focus on it is, then the more steadily and comfortably will you start to shift. Soften your attention on the subject by being more gentle on yourself, being more compassionate and by recognizing that everyone around you feels the same way, they struggle with these issues and are wearing masks of their own. If you meditate on the idea that everyone has these layers of conditioning, you'll start to see it as less of a burden or malady, and more as a natural part of being human and part of the process of growing up. Primarily remind yourself that you don't need to actually rid any of the conditioning before you start to feel better. Before releasing the conditioning, focus on releasing your resistance to the conditioning/masks themselves in a gentle, easy and light way. It is what we humans do. The masks were here to help you as a way for you to move through the world and deal with unsure energies as you grew up. It's good to recognize this because then you can move consciously in the direction of your choice through natural attraction to well-being as opposed to the path of aversion.

I don't have the answer for you either but for what it is worth, there are many going through the same experience and you are not alone. Wishing you solace.