DoubleYou

Positive thinking is simply the result of a healthy mind. If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts all the time. It just means there's work to be done. There's a belief that something is lacking, and that belief is the source of all of these thoughts. So start there. But a lot of times when we try to force positive thinking, these thoughts are based on that same belief structure. Someone that's happy and joyful doesn't have to tell herself that she's happy and joyful. Because it's so obvious. So what are you trying to accomplish by thinking positive thoughts? What is the underlying message? Do they arise out of lack, or abundance?

How comfortable are you in silence? ... How long can you stick with it? Before your mind starts asking questions. Do you fear something is going to happen after staying in that space for too long? Like some kind of event is going to take place after a while? Maybe death? Are you afraid you're not ready for that yet? Maybe there will be an awakening. Or even... enlightenment. Now that would be something. And what would that mean? Maybe you'll change. Become someone else completely. Something else, completely. Or dissolve. Maybe. ... ... ... Or maybe silence is just, you know... ... Silent. And maybe that's all it will ever be. Just that same silence that was there when we first started this contemplation. The exact same. And it will be like that five hours from now. Ten thousand hours from now. And so you'll find that after five seconds of silence, you've come to know eternity. That was it. Already! ... But then suddenly a voice was heard. Asking itself wether it was comfortable with this silence or not. If maybe after a while some kind of event, like death, or enlightenment, would start to take place. And the silence was lost. Or so it says to itself. And it goes on and on like this. Not seeing the joke of it all. Not realising you had it the very first second! And everything you'll ever imagine it could be or become is simply projecting concepts onto that same empty silence. You're expecting things to happen from a being that is simply silent. And that's kind of unfair isn't it? Because it can only be itself. Silent. ... And yes, still, form may change. Ego may dissolve. Love may arise. Awakening may come. But it won't be any different than whatever it is that is here now. Cause before all that there is just that ever-present silence. And its YOU! So if that silence is ever-present... so are you! Cause what else is there? But silence... What a relief! You're completely safe! So how comfortable are you with this silence? How comfortable are you with yourself? The next time in meditation where you find yourself in a rough situation. Lost in a web of thought. Just keep reminding yourself. Anything you fear could happen, is just a projection onto something that is incapable of happening, for it is here already. It can't happen. So in the same way, your enlightenment can't happen. It is already here. Patiently waiting for you to claim the truth of it. Or shall we say, unclaim that which is not. So keep asking yourself, how comfortable am I in this silence? The answer to that will reveal what's next for you. I hope this contemplation has showed you that there is nothing to fear. This silence is not something new that is going to occur. If you've been meditating you know it already. So, keep that in mind in meditation. Maybe it will ground you like it has done for me. I used to be scared shitless everytime I entered this silent stream for just a tad too long. But it is here where transformation happens. By not running away from it. Realising your safe. You'll get so comfortable in this silence that nothing will ever be able to destabilize you again. In time you'll be reborn. Awakened. Enlightened. Someone else completely. Now how did that happen? Felt like sharing this. Hope it helps. <3

Yes please. Art is the language of the sage.

It's even stranger to walk around pretending you're not.

@CreamCat If its an experience, how can it be death?

Don't confuse intellect with ego. Ego is not the mind. It's the identification with mind. So, no need to merge anything. Mind and presence are already one.

There's nothing more annoying than forcing an emotion that has nothing to do with the message onto the listener.

Cats are like little buddha's. Always reminding me that it's okay to just sit and smile for a bit.

Yes, in theory that is correct. But it's exactly other way around. As it stands right now, the US is an extremely, and I mean extremely conservative country compared to the rest of the modern western world. What you call ego overload in the left is something that is to be expected when any kind of progression is held back this much for years and years and years. It's simply anger. Anger that nothing is ever being done.

What if suffering is the seeking? What are you seeking that isn't here now? Some seek through spirituality. Some seek through addiction, relationship, drugs. It's all the same mechanism.

All there is to it!

Yeah, how nice that would be. All of it is fake. They're all naive. No consequences for anything we do, yay!

Man, that was powerful yet frightening. Really opened my eyes on a lot of these issues. Past and present. Lets hope it has some impact. EDIT: For comparison. India's reply.

That's the point. You can't do it. And now you've realised that. Great job. Keep going.

Why do you feel the need to compare the two?

Its more a letting go of the need to control.

lol

You're never not in a flow state. You just keep talking over it.

Don't turn that into an ideology though. Sometimes lack of action is just what is needed. Like in meditation. The cessation of all activity. And isn't that the most productive thing you can do? Activity and passivity are merely two sides of the same coin. A duality. Either can be valid. It all depends on the situation. Sometimes it's quite alright or even necessary to just chill and watch some Netflix, instead of pushing your ego around like a martyr. That's just more and more ego. Running away from the suffering that will be there when you don't. See, it's the same thing but the other way around. That said, if you're at a point in your life where you've been running away from taking action when you needed to, by all means. Take as much action as you can. But at some point you're going to want to aim for some balance.

What I found works best to enter that flow state is something very counterintuitive. It's to simply give up completely. Admit you can't do it. You won't succeed. Really feel into that. And then... Keep doing it anyway. This takes the ego out of every situation. Now there's nothing to gain. Nothing to lose. No hope, no neediness. No nothing. You've already admitted you can't do it. So whatever will happen will be fine. You might even find yourself succeeding. In fact, you'll be more likely to. This way, you enter the flow of life. And you'll be at your most productive. No need to push yourself. No self to be pushed. That one has already admitted defeat. And now notice that it doesn't change a thing. It's just an ego game. Trying to control a situation beforehand. And all that energy you stuck into that game can now be used productively. So by giving up the need to succeed, you actually free up energy that can be used. Try it out. It's liberating. What you'll find is that discipline is actually a very simple, easy thing. It comes naturally. It's not something you have to push yourself for. That pushing is actually keeping you from it.

That's a very stage orange move from the SP authors, lol.

It had an impact on me. And many others probably. Possible visionaries. Who may or may not have an impact on government at some point in their lifes. Progress is a slow burn. But it has to start somewhere.

I Am

And that's a great thing. You feeling good is simply a sign of being more aligned with Truth. So feeling good is like a compass. It's intelligent. And it's actually selflessness that makes you feel good. That's how it goes full circle. Take care of yourself to be able to take care of others. And I'm not talking about pleasure / addiction.