GreenWoods

read the "conversations with God" books. it's explained quite well there, including metaphysical explanations on it I haven't seen anywhere else

the first view is the view of the ego. The few is true to the extend that you believe that you are the ego. Once enlightened, you will recognize that the first was just an illusion and that the second is true. yes, stay in the place of not knowing with the intention to find it out. However, if one view may help you more in life and on the spiritual path you can adopt it, staying aware that it is but a view though (btw there is even a third view, that of astrology and past lives so your first view, you are the ego. Your second view, you are God. The third view, you are the soul)

Yes https://www.actualized.org/coaching

If you are into indian music, I recommend you check out Sounds of Isha (rarely Sadhguru sings too). Sometimes I listen to these songs after meditating and I found that they connect me with being and make me humble, loving and peaceful. They manage to slightly open my eyes to the beauty of Creation, such that I sometimes get to tears. Here some of my favourites: They may also help when you are stressed or nervous, don't listen to them to often though or the effects my wear out

Thanks a lot for the detailed answer I also like self inquiry most, I will definitely spend those months doing it combined with some other techniques. I wish you all the luck that the opportunity to also do such a retreat will turn up:)

Interesting. I am planning a half year retreat of 15 hours daily meditation. So you'd suggest that doing half a year volunteering work 15 hours daily would bring me closer to enlightenment/liberation than the meditation retreat (given that I would volunteer because I earnestly want to help and not in order to get something in return (spiritual growth))? I highly doubt this is probable but I am open to it, would be life-changing... what's your opinion on that?

As far as I know, it's basically about completely devoting your life to service to others. If you are lucky, your ego will eventually dissolve (due to the constant selfless giving) and you might attain enlightenment (due to dissolving ego and good karma). But I suppose this enlightenment is hardly gonna be very deep and very unlikely to attain in the first place as this path is very indirect. So I recommend you combine it with direct practices like self inquiry and kriya yoga

I never heard someone saying that he is able to go days without sleeping and feeling amazing due to nofap if someone is interested in semen preservation, the youtube channel " sexual kung fu" is quite legitimate

absolute open-mindedness

oatmeal

@Toan I do cold showers (coldest degree) daily, I've never been ill since I started and last winter was the first winter without a running nose. So I believe they do indeed boost the immune system nofap has benefits, they are limited though. semen preservation has the Potential to really boost you. after two weeks I usually need almost 2 hours less sleep and am more motivated etc... But you might get to struggle with wet dreams( somewhere else I wrote how to prevent them)... I haven't experimented with intermittent fasting. If you are (slightly) overweight, you could give it a try and see what results you get. You may try intermittent dry fasting, that is without water, it is said to be way more effective. If you want to fast for a few days to cleanse your body, one day dry fasting is said to have the same effects as 3 days with water. Be careful though and do a thorough research. If you wanna do the daily intermittent dry fasting, then make sure you get enough water within the window you are allowed to eat and drink

I sometimes listen to those while studying: But I didn't research which ones are actually best for studying. They seem to enhance my performance though

@Cody_Atzori Did you already watch Leo's vieo about the pre mortem technique? It may help you to not quit your retreat. And if you want, you can give your smartphone to your parents to hide it Does your family know that you are into self actualization work? Maybe you can tell them that you want to contemplate your future and improving your life, and for this you wan to be alone for a few days and without any distractions.

Enlightenment is no "illusionary attainment", if something is illusionary, than it's everything else. If you do spirituality correctly you will be able to appreciate and love "the few true things" as well as everything else even more. If you are very radical, you can "throw everything away" and go to a cave till you are enlightened and then come back and be able to enjoy it a lot more. But when you do it like 99% of spiritual seekers, you do your few hours of daily meditation and have the rest of the day enjoying "the few true things". Of Course you will have less time for enjoying those and will get more dettached, but your ability to appreciate and love them will increase. And in the time till you attain enlightenment you are still increasing you level of consciousness, thus enlightenment is not exclusively a "future goal". If you lack excitement, some 5meo-dmt may help you

I changed my mind, I probably won't go to India after all. I guess you are right, it's too dangerous, and my parents would turn crazy if I went. If I were you, I would search for an ashram, long Meditation retreat centre or even a monastery nearby, in that way you will also save flight costs. Or if you like camping, search for a place where putting up your tent is allowed and which lies close to a clean stream (for washing) and a shop where you can fill up on food and water once a week. But you must be fine with sleeping in your tent no matter the weather (except you have a car). And perhaps you want to go somewhere where temperatures don't drop too low during winter.

Did you already come to a conclusion?:)

As you say, to air BnB it would be quite expensive. When you are also 19, I don't know whether it is too wise spending too much money for it. But I don't know your exact situation so you can decide that best. With the Sadhanapada, the issue is, that you won't have too much time doing your hardcore spiritual practices. A lot of time will be spent doing volunteering work etc. And if you are like me, you probably want to do this retreat to completely focus on your spiritual growth:) I have planned to go to Rishikesh. In Juli this year. It lies close to the Himalayas and is directly at the Ganges which is still quite clean there. The city is famous for Yoga. There are many asrams so I guess I will just go there and then pick the one I like best. I'll go somewhere where I can do whatever I want. haha, that would be awesome if we go together, I never met someone who is equally serious about spirituality . If you don't want to go to Rishikesh and find a better place, I am flexible. I booked my flight to New Delhi but as train costs are ridiculously cheap there we could go everywhere in India or even go to a country close by like Nepal, in case you are too concerned about your health in India.

When you contemplate "who is irritated?", ask yourself: " Who? My name? My body? An image of my body? Bodily sensations? Who could there be who feels irritated????? The idea that I exist? But how could it be that the idea that I exist feels irritated? is this irritatedness a real thing?"

No, I don't know anyone who has been to india Most people in India stay alive as well. I suppose one will adapt to the most within some months. And of course one should be cautious. That is, only drink water from closed bottles, eat only healthy and fresh food, don't live in the dirt.... Things like Kriya yoga and especially daily cold showers boost the immune system and may thus also be of some aid to a small extend

When you are good at letting all thoughts go, you probably built some good mindfulness muscles which I recommend you apply to more powerful tecniques like self-inquiry. Contemplate what you are and who is irritated and stressed. And take a look at Kriya Yoga. I have been practicing it for 6 months now and the benefits are huge. Once you are able to draw much prana to the head and heart centre (and don't be frustrated if you don't manage it at first. The first months I felt nothing and was almost sure that something is wrong with my body), you are likely to become quite peaceful and even a bit blissful in your meditations directly afterward. eventually you will experience this peace in your everyday life as well. And once you are able to circulate the prana through your body and happen to be depressed, bring the energy to your heart chakra. I found that very helpful in my life

what would kill your body there? You mean illnesses and starvation? Well, Food is quite cheap over there and I suppose one should get vaccinated thoroughly beforehand

I haven't looked more closely at what practices they do as I will be doing my own practices (Self inquiry, kriya yoga,...) anyway. I suppose in most ashrams practices like Hatha Yoga and perhaps also mantra singing predominate. If you prefer more direct practices you can either search an ashram where they do such practices or one where you can do whatever you wish

@RawJudah when you draw the sexual energy up, the semen doesn't have to get out via wet dreams but can get reabsorbed by the body instead But I agree, don't obsess with nofap, there is more important work to be done (however, in case PMO hinders you from doing that, nofap can be a great help)

The variables of getting wet dreams as far as I know: 1. sexual drive 2. circulation of sexual energy 3. strength of PC-Muscles When you don't masturbate the sexual energy accumulates at the root chakra till the pressure gets too much and you ejaculate while sleeping. If you want to prevent wet dreams, channel the energy upward (and store it in the belly if you get headaches or other such symptoms). You can do this through Kriya Yoga. Opening the microcosmic orbit will also help. Once one masters this, blue balls also won't occur anymore. If you still have wet dreams, you must strengthen your PC-MUSCLES. If you are serious, do repetitions working up to 200 a day, a hold working up to 2 minutes and strong holds about 20 seconds. If you do regular Nofap you need not be concerned about wet dreams, if you however want to have more energy, motivation,... I recommend you try semen preservation (you can masturbate and have sex but without ejaculation. non ejaculatory orgasms are fine, wet dreams not)

Just go to India, there are ashrams everywhere, where you can stay as long as you want In India are ashrams costing $1.50 a day. 1kg rice or 1kg bananas cost about $0.70. If you calculate $5 a day for 300 days, it will be $1,500, but I don't think you'll need that much if you try to save money. If you don't have that money, there are ashrams where you can do stuff like helping in the kitchen and you can stay for free in return. I however would rather recommend you work now in your home country such that you can focus on your spiritual practices only, when at the ashram. If you are serious about spirituality, I think it's definitely worth it. I am 19 too and will soon go to an ashram in India for about half a year. you may be interested in Rishikesh, a spiritual city near to the Himalayas