Arman

No, people may meditate for different reasons. Some meditate for improved energy and vitality, some meditate for health concerns, others want to gain leverage on bad habits. Some meditate because they want to experience out of body experiences, etc. Some are not necessarily seeking peace, but rather insight into the nature of reality and who they are. What you described is a common ideal but it's not a prerequisite nor is it shared by everybody. Personally I don't concern myself with achieving continuous peace in all experience. I'm not even convinced I want continuous peace (or maybe I'm I just tell myself that) - but right now I do know that I enjoy its various benefits and that it helps me be more effective and happy in general. I think the goal of 'continous peace of mind', as you put it, is an admirable endeavor for some and that it that could keep them motivated. For others, it can be a point of confusion and frustration, especially without proper context because they may practice for years and despite tremendous gains, may be disheartened and feeling like they have hardly put a dent in their pursuit. Sometimes the important of why you choose to meditate is only relevant to the point that it gets you to sit down and do it, because I suspect that regardless of what you specifically aim to achieve, in time the benefits accrue towards all endeavors/goals.

Hi Carlos. You may find some relevant information in this similar thread:

Depends on a variety of variables from physiology, psychological make-up, emotions and energies suspended within the body, dedication, having a lifestyle that facilitates growth, etc. Some may also say it is because of karmic propensities or energetic predisposition. Just think of physical exercise - consider the reasons why two people doing the same practice might achieve different or similar results. Could be because of big weight differences, hormones, even attitude can effect gains despite doing the same amount of time and exertion. Sometimes we can change a tremendous amount but not realize it because we are still focused on what we don't want as opposed to what we have gained, or shed. It may be useful to decide ahead of time why it is that you want to meditate, and what gains you hope to achieve. Then you can look at those aspects of your life and be honest about it. Journaling and writing can help. Then over time, you simply start to be aware and note shifts. It is important to occasionally take time to sit with yourself and not necessarily meditate, but reflect and once more look into yourself with honesty. Some shifts will be obvious and undeniable, and others will be subtle. It is easier to notice that you are getting less angry vs being closer to achieving spiritual goals you may have. Don't worry about improving as a mediator. A good mediator takes the time to sit. The rest takes care of itself.

Well, worrying about thoughts will only compound upon the issue. So it is counter-productive. What you're describing is not uncommon. Mindfulness is a good practice to learn in order to ease the abrasive nature of thoughts and allow their roots to unravel. You're on the right path, and things will improve. Sometimes they get a bit worse before they get better. Even after years of personal development and much growth, I too sometimes become overwhelmed and fall back into what you describe. The difference being, that it doesn't last as long and that I can still maintain some perspective through it, even if it's only a glimmer. Maybe I will be overwhelmed for a few days, instead of a few weeks, or maybe I will be overwhelmed for an hour or two, instead of all day. Instead of trying to get rid of thoughts in their entirety, perhaps it would be advantageous to consolidate small, regular gains through practices you enjoy, and through living a healthy lifestyle. You're doing well, better than you think. Keep exploring, meditating, and engaging in healthy practices that resonate with you.

You're confused in thinking that acceptance = resignation. At least this is what you're making it sound like to me. You can accept something and then take action upon it. So it's as if you're implying that if your girlfriend cheats on you, acceptance would mean being OK with it and then staying with her. What happens after you accept it is up to you. You may accept the situation, then dump her. Acceptance is just looking at the situation without reserve, without judgment and allowing it to be as it is without the need to distort, reason, justify, etc, and not denying responsibility. Or can also choose not to accept something, then take action anyway. This leads to being less effective because unless you have accepted something, then you are in resistant to it, so you can't see it clearly or act without further attachment to emotions. In actuality, when we can't accept something, then we are usually locked when it comes to options and actions to take, or none of the options seem particularly desirable. When you fully accept a situation, then the right action to take usually becomes clear and obvious and presents itself as an opportunity for growth.

I'm currently enjoying listening to this conversation. I hope you may find it as stimulating as I do. Relevant to subject/s of the energetic system, prana, chi, out of body, etc.

Kabbalah is one of those rabbit-holes that leaves you so boggled and in awe if you study it. Makes you realize how deep and genuine an understanding fundamental religions really had compared to the regular wishy-washyness most associate with organized religion.

can you please elaborate on what you mean by 'the real deal' ?

God bless Leo, God bless the Internet.

People love to shit on those who are successful. Anyone who is interested in learning about marketing, entrepreneurship and sales copy should be following Tai. You don't actually have to pay attention to anything he says, but rather how he says it. Reason being, his marketing campaign was unprecedented in terms of views and youtube cover. He's really good at what he does. I don't know if he's a good teacher, but it's possible to learn by observation and seeing what people are doing. Yeah, he really heavily focuses on his mansion, money, hot girls and pressing on all this emotional points to make sales. He does it because it works and he's trying to make money. That's how sales works. People spend $100 on a shirt, but call an a $xx program a scam. Just because someone makes money by creating emotional investment doesn't make it a scam. Is it of questionable integrity? That's up to you, but it's a cornerstone upon which modern marketing is built. Lots of people get upset over clickbait titles, even when it's used on content they like by content creators they promote. Yet once you get over the second of mild annoyance and gain some perspective, you'd realize it's allowing more people to see the content, take in value, and create more revenue for the content creators. I've checked out his content in the past. I never bought any products and have no interest following him anymore, but if you check out some of the comments sections you'd see it motivates a lot of people. From what I can tell about his content, it is not particularly deep and you could probably get the same or more amount of information by dedicating yourself to personal research and picking up some good books. So is his content worth the amounts he charges? I've only seen the double digit price point, but I have no doubt that he also has price points at the ~$399 and ~$1000+ ranges - but those are pretty standard price points for the online course/coaching/product models. He's not going to be relevant and valuable for everyone. Just because he may be hitting on shallow points and using 'groupthink' desires to his advantage doesn't mean he is not creating value - perhaps even tremendous amounts of value to the community. If you're someone who has decent entrepreneurial understanding and maybe is a 'cut above', then Tai's content may be a waste of your time and money - but for someone who has been living in apathy without motivation, then to them it's worth every penny because it's allowing a kind of energetic slingshot which will take them to more valuable and more relevant content in time. Once you get over your own ego, you'll realize he's actually kind of hilarious (not intentionally) in the way he operates and markets himself. It all becomes comical and the pursuit of money money cars cars women health smarts success - it's all kind of cute and absurd, but from this perspective you can also then analyse the dynamics of motivation, marketing, success and branding in a fun way.

is this the ultimate humble brag?

You assume that people are going to treat you with less respect because of your appearance, and so you make it a self fulfilling prophecy. Are people in life going to judge you on your looks? Yes. However it has much less impact than you think. Appearance is only one factor, and only comes into major play when someone doesn't really have much else to offer. It's good that you know this to be a limiting belief. The thing about limiting beliefs though is that they are illusory. There are other ways to receive respect and be seen for the value you have, other than looking like someone who culturally plays the part. Well, are you an effective leader? Are you assertive? Be honest with yourself about it, then understand that the only connection that these qualities have to your appearance is the illusory significance you placed on them, and then take full responsibility for who you are and where you are. Then you can see things more clearly and be more secure with yourself. The more you have self respect and self acceptance, the more others will see your good qualities.

Very cool. These kind of discoveries are really fun and insightful to be had because it explains a lot your experience. Thank you for sharing. Often, observation and acknowledgement of these things is enough to resolve them. These emotional charges were mechanisms you thought necessary for your survival and mothers love (which to a child may be one in the same), so they were consciously or unconsciously maintained because you thought it was in your best interest. Any behavior we carry, on some level, we think it is helping us. So by being aware of the emotions and the dynamics it creates in your life, and letting the feelings be there as they arise, it will automatically unwind because it shows itself to be unnecessary programming. It seems simple, but it has deep impacts on experience because not only will that belief system dissolve, but so will all the other belief systems that were subtly founded upon that one, so there's a cascading effect.

Hey Leo, wacha thinkin' bout?

Only seems scary because of the unknown. Check out the book My Big Toe by Thomas Campbell for more info about whether reality is simulated or not. Maybe it is not that you are stuck in 'one simulation' maybe you are navigating through the infinite permutations and constantly re-shifting and re-choosing?

Simply did the best I could, hehe. What else can be done brother? Energetic experiences like this are rough and can be devastating. There is temporary upset and then it's like being rewired - in my experience, it is for the best. Not to worry. Sometimes it seems that these things can't be avoided. My suggestion is to forget trying to find insight in the experience. There's no need to play witch-doctor, how much use can we hope to find trying to decipher fevered dreams and visions? The psyche can be a mess at the best of times. During energetic experiences, it can be insanity. Sure maybe it was related to some deep inner truths and potent understandings... but, if there is clarity and insight to be had, it will come naturally, and when it does it will be more clear, peaceful. This comes with time. Allow the experience to do what it was meant to do, and release the need to know why/how/what. Take reassurance in knowing others have gone through similar experiences and come out healthy and happy. Forget anything other than basic well-being. Make yourself a cup of tea. @Emerald Wilkins Gave good advice imo. Practical stuff is the best stuff in these circumstances. Take barefoot walks, eat clean, stay rested, do things you enjoy. Avoid over-digestion of spiritual material. As for your meditation - I suggest that it is optimal to scale back sitting practices. Avoid pranayamas and practices that focus on third eye or crown. Pacing: If you wish to meditate, try 15 minutes once or twice a day of breath based meditation or simple mindfulness. That is my recommendation. You then see the effects it had on you. The reason we start small is to check for sensitivity. After experiences like this it can be common to be oversensitive. Sometimes it's referred to as over-purification. If the meditation caused discomfort, imbalance, difficulty sleeping, etc - then scale it back. Eg. 5 minutes. If you found it didn't leave you unbalanced and uncomfortable, then maintain the amount for 2-3 days - see if it is still balanced, and then increase by 10 minute increments, and test to see how that makes you feel. If it's ok, then maintain that amount for another 2-3 days. Rinse and repeat until intuition says to stay. If even 5 minutes is causing difficulty, avoid sitting practices for a while. You get the general idea - pacing, patience, and don't dive right back in. Eventually you can resume all practices. So not to worry. Bit of a challenge, but good things ahead. How are you feeling now?

Great idea.

Please consider visiting an energy healer or someone who is equipped and knowledgeable in energetic phenomena and/or yoga. Sorry to hear about your difficult experience. Resistance usually tends to make things worse. This is an opportunity to accept something you consider unacceptable. Stay hydrated, allow enough hours for sleep, eat clean and ground yourself physically. I also recommend breathing from your lower abdomen/root area. Inhale should allow natural expansion of belly, and exhale is effortless no need to push it out, allow it to naturally expire.

I'd like to hear your thoughts about the concept that thoughts effect reality. Reality is a funny term. For the sake of this discussion and not making my head hurt too much, I'm just gonna simplify and think of it as ones experience. Whether illusory or not, I am referring to the reality frame that holds our physical and mind space. One thing I adore about this community/board is that it has such a diverse range of belief systems. From the strictly empirically minded, to those who focus strictly on a zen non dual paradigm and choose not to focus on any other phenomena, and there are those who more towards the new age "woo-woo", and there are also some who are more devotion oriented. I think that's all wonderful. I also think it's fascinating when people are suddenly exposed to ideas that are completely beyond their accustomed reality frame. It's interesting to see when someone suddenly kind of lets go and allows their previous paradigm to shatter, and it is equally interesting to watch people become resistant. "Do you serious believe this? Like, seriously. No, like really. Actually." It is one thing to hear a crazy idea from the local mentally-ill resident who dwells near the shopping centre yelling obscenities. When he says that all reality is an illusion and that you're not real, it's instinctive to block it out. Poor bastard, what a crazy idea... he must have really gone off the deep end. However, what happens when someone who you have been following and listening to, and perhaps even idolizing, what happens when THEY suddenly tell you that all reality is an illusion and that you're not real? How do you deal with it then? Have they, too, lost their minds? "He must mean it poetically." One idea that many think is crazy is that our thoughts are effecting reality. There is an entire spiritual subcategory devoted to the 'art of conscious creation' and using ones mind and inner realms to shape their reality. Now even within this belief system there's a spectrum of how literally one takes it. There are those who think that if you feel good, then naturally you will observe things that feel good, and that this is strictly a phenomena of the mind. Others believe that the very fabric of reality is shifting, or that one is literally shifting into alternate reality frames, dimensions or probable realities. So I ask you, what is your take on this? What is your stance? I am also curious, for those who do not subscribe to the idea that thoughts transform reality, what are your honest thoughts on the many, including those on this forum, who do believe this? @Leo Gura Two years ago you created a video on Law of Attraction which I believe you reduced to a mechanism of the mind that basically revolves around the reticular activation system (my interpretation), and said that conscious creation is more about focus and mindset and how that focus will allow you to take action. A brain oriented approach that negates the notion that mind is altering external reality in a way beyond how we empirically understand it. So denying any metaphysics. Has how you think/feel about this subject changed? Thanks for reading.

Awesome resource, thanks for sharing. I really like what I have seen of Seth Godin and read his blog for a while, so I really trust this list. The guy is brilliant.

Hey there, this video doesn't necessarily address the exact circumstances you're describing, but I believe may take value from it:

Someone on this board (can't remember who :p) introduced me to this Spiritual Temperament survey. I found it fun, insightful, and really accurate - but it takes a bit of time and you have to write down and calculate the scores manually. http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/12_Spiritual_Temperaments_survey.html

I don't know why it is widely accepted, but I can tell you why I accept it: because the big bang (if it even occurred as we know it) symbolizes the starting point in time of this physical reality - but I suspect that the 'You' in 'You existed', that I am, is not limited to this body or to physical reality.

Not to worry my friend. Nothing has gone wrong. These things become exposed and come up to be integrated. I know it is intense. I have been through similar experiences of various intensities. It can be scary. The fear will arise, but it is up to you to decide whether or not you will be afraid of the fear, of that makes sense. Useful to accept it. Allow it to be there. Acceptance will not instantly resolve it, but it is useful to do so. Remind yourself that it is only a feeling. Can a feeling really do anything to you besides make you uncomfortable? Will being uncomfortable kill you? Come to a way to accept the experience and say it is OK if it stays for a day, a week, or forever. It won't stay forever, and accepting that it might will not increase any likelihood of it staying longer than necessary, so don't worry. If you can come to accept the experience, resistance will still arise but you don't need to feel as though "ugh, I'm not accepting it" - it is just unfolding. It is enough to accept it just once. Time to practice some courage, endurance, and self-love. Do a bit of exercise and physically groudn yourself. When these charges unravel they come with awesome gifts. This experience, emotion and feeling is not new! 5-meo didn't create it in you, it is there all along. Beneath all your experiences, that was simply there, waiting, suppressed, but yet still active. Can you imagine how much energy is constantly used suppressing this kind of energy? What will happen when it's freed? It's only scary because the situation is confusing and unknown. You're doing well. I also suggest that you take time to find out what the fear is about. Underlying it is some kind of belief! Some kind of core statement about reality. Still yourself into the experience, then ask "What is this feeling trying to tell me? "What are you trying to tell me?" "What do you want me to do? "What can I do for you?" Ask these questions, then release all intention of expecting an answer. Release all thoughts, feelings, judgement and expectations, and allow whatever arises to arise. It can help to just open your mouth and see if you want to talk. You may be surprised at what arises. And who is he going to ask? What do you think his parents, a doctor, or a therapist is really going to do for him? Who else is there? Family would likely just get confused. Drugs and psychoanalyses aren't going to help here. A therapist might exasperate a situation that may naturally resolve itself with a bit of patience and relaxation. Even though this message board is motley crew with haphazard advice, it's good to have different perspectives who have at least SOME relevant understanding of what might be happening.