LinLin

Search for ayahuasca international, they do retreats in different countries in Europe. I was on a three day retreat and got back home this Sunday. There you can smoke bufo alvarius which contains 5meo dmt which I did twice while I was there.

I understand your struggle Joseph. I am also doing my best to stop gossiping, judging and overall pouring out negative comments. I don't always succeed of course... But when it comes to gossiping, my God, it seems as if some people thrive and live off it!!! There are a few people at work who I avoid being alone with because that is the only thing they ever do, being negative and talking shit about other people. If we are several persons then I just don't respond to those types of comments/topics, but if you are alone with someone it sure gets harder. I am trying to change to a similar subject as if my thoughts just went in that direction, or to give neutral comments back or ask questions. The asking questions part can be quite interesting. I have realized how much everybody loves to talk about themselves, usually we answer somebody by relating to a similar experience we have had ourselves. If somebody is passing a judgement then maybe try to ask "What would you suggest instead of X?/ How would you have tackled XX??/ Why to you believe X to be this or that?" But ask in a curious and open manner so that the person doesn't feel that their opinion is being questioned. Another "method" I try to use is confirming their feelings, NOT the opinion. In the beginning I tried to kind of defend the person who was target of the gossip, but that rarely helps. So if someone says "He/She is such an idiot for doing this and that!" then try to answer "Oooh, that must have been difficult/stressing/whatever for you." I think people are mostly seeking confirmations about their feelings when it comes to negativity and judgments. Another struggle is when someone is coming to speak to and trying to get you to talk down on someone. Then I'm usually a tightlip who says nothing and "knows" nothing about the person in question. I still haven't found any good method to handle this type of situations, but maybe some other people here have good advice :-)

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I would also like to see a video with this topic! Standing up for oneself and setting boundaries against other people! Especially how to do it without getting too emotional or ending up in an argument.

@jcgiusto That's a nice description about how it is to be enlightened. Your text made me curious, have you yourself any experience on enlightment?

@Lorcan Well, there are many different kind of meditation techniques and as far as I know most of the big religions have their own kind of meditation although it might be called by another name. I have started doing zazen the past month but for me it is really difficult to turn of the monkey-chatter in my head. Before that I used to do meditation with reciting/chanting technique. You can look up different mantras to use, there are lots of them within buddhism, and you can say them out loud, sing them or just repeat them silently in your mind. For me it was easier to start with a mantra since it is something to focus on than to try to just empty my mind. I still use my mantra for meditation every now and then when I have a lot of monkey-chatter going on. Good luck getting started with your meditation

Thanks for your input! I'm gonna try the videos and actually I recently borrowed a book on self-hypnosis which I hope will help as well. I'm just gonna keep on trying

@Anicko Do you have any recommendations on books or perhaps youtube channels with good audio guidance? I have been to a two day workshop in hypnosis but I wasn't able to get hypnotized during the workshop. I have trouble with letting go of control and I think I wasn't too comfortable in front of other people. But I have tried listening to some guided hypnosise on youtube, usually as I go to bed but I think I have only fallen asleep. Would you say it's better to do while siting up and not while going to bed?

I have also been depressed for several years and felt that there was no meaning to anything in life. I really believe the key is to create your own meaning. For me it has helped a lot when I found a training community, where I could meet the same people several times a week and train together. Over the time it developes to a circle of friends and a feeling of belonging somewhere. So find something you think would interest you and try it out! Life doesn't have any meaning but I'm okey with that now cause I'm creating a meaning to my own life. For some people this means family for other peole it means work and for yet other people it could be animals or a hobby... You can also find something which makes your soul smile

@Amplituda I like your idea of not getting into any arguments as a way of personal growth. But I'm a person who is more likely to avoid getting into arguments and conflicts. Do you think using this technique could still be helpful for me? I do have a lot of discussions and arguments inside my head hehe... I have been wondering if I should try the opposite and stop avoiding arguments as a way to grow since I think avoidance could also be problematic.

I have smoked marijuana for about 15 years and as good as daily the last 5 years. For me this became a problem because I felt like I wouldn't be able to sleep without smoking. I share the opinion that moderate consumption should be fine, just like alcoholconsumption. My problem is the "moderation" part... But for a self-actualized life I believe it's better to stay away from marijuana as well as alcohol. It might be fun in the moment but in the long-run it's just a waste of time. I feel so much better without it, I'm starting to dream again (or to remember my dreams, not sure if marijuana causes you to stop dreaming) and I'm saving money for other things!

When I went to a psychologist for help with my anxiety issues, they didn't want to treat me unless I gave up smoking cannabis, which I had been doing for about 15 years of which 5 years more or less daily. Otherwise they wanted to send me to a kind of drug clinic for treatment. So I just finished smoking the pot I already had at home and haven't smoked since then. I don't know how it is with heavier drugs since I have never tried anything stronger than cannabis, but based on my own experience I believe that when it comes to lighter addictions like ciggarettes/cannabis it is just a question of wanting to let go and realising that you don't need it. But I don't think I would have managed to quit unless my boyfriend had done it as well. To be in a close relationship with someone who has the same addiction as you and who continues using will only make you fall back to your all habits, at least that's how I felt a few years earlier when I stopped smoking ciggarettes. Ciggarettes where all around me and with all my friends smoking the temptation was in my face the whole time. Now that I have broken that habit I couldn't care less if someone is smoking in front of me, I just find it disgusting instead.

Hello! I would like some advice on how to handle coworkers' negativity. Since I started listening to Leos talks about a year ago, I have noticed that almost everything coming out of my coworkers' mouths are complaints, judgements on other coworkers/people in general and overall negativity. I try not to respond to the negativity, or at least not to confirm it, but sometimes I can't even join in on a conversation revolves about expressing negativity about something/someone. I also share room with one coworker who by far expresses the most negative emotions in the whole office and she loves to gossip about other coworkers. Since I try not to indulge in gossip, complaining, judging and so on my responses are sometimes limited to nodding/shaking my head or saying stuff like "mmmmmh", "aha", "I see", "okay". I usually put my headset on and listen to music if it gets too much. Does anyone have experience with similar situations in the office and do you have any ideas on how to handle it? I would like to improve the overall atmosphere around the coffeetable and get nice conversations going, but when I try it doesn't take long before the conversation has turned into expressing negativity once again...

I'm not going to confront them about their negativity because I'm also quite convinced that it wouldn't be recieved well. I have noticed that outside my "bubble" of personal development and yoga practice, people aren't interested to improve themselves. They just want to complain but not do anything about the situation. So yes, I am getting a lot of practise in handling it Some days it gets too much, which is when I just sit with my headset on and don't join in on the coffeebreaks. Other days are not so bad and then I socialize with my coworkers. Luckily I have a rich life outside of the office so I don't get to influenced by my coworkers. But I wish I could get them to open their eyes somehow...