UnbornTao

In order to notice that something exists, first its non-existence has to be allowed. For form to be recognized we must allow for its non-existence. We experience the distinction "apple" thanks to not-apple. We're conscious of the apple because we're conscious it's not a banana, and we distinguish the air around it as part of not-apple. This seems to equally apply to any thought, belief, feeling, attitude, and perception.

Notice how, for depression to occur, one's image of the future has to be held as a negative. Change your relationship to the future by envisioning a positive, hopeful one Contemplate: "How might my worldview be influencing the happiness that I am able to experience?" Ground yourself on your body, work on being present Avoid believing in negative thoughts, they aren't true, so stop identifying with being a depressed person, life story isn't true Consider physiological factors, too. Master the basics: daily, moderately intense exercise whole-foods diet consume less added sugar cut down on caffeine or replace with green tea more sunbathing supplement with vitamin D take only cold showers for a few months eliminate all meaningless distractions like TV and smartphone etc. It's always temporary! Relax. Be happy.

A high-quality variety like extra virgin olive oil, not refined oil made with sunflower and similar crap.

Can't read screenshot. Maybe try a different way, like saving or exporting the page as PDF. Perhaps there's another command to take one-page screenshots and not just the entire website. Regarding your anxiety, you need to become conscious of the "place" in which you're generating it and see it as ineffective. Become aware of how you're doing it in your experience. Anxiety is a form of fear, hence related to an image of the future that you're unwilling to confront. Look in that direction, it may help. Remove a component of fear and it can't arise. Some mindfulness would be useful. Focus on your breathing, relax and contemplate.

Activities are not existential. They don't exist by themselves but by relationship. Humans create communication, success, mastery, shame, boredom, sports, effectiveness, society. Another avenue of contemplation to go down to is: What exists? What is existential vs an activity, an invention? What exists independent of our actions, including perception, thinking, making sense, etc? What exists is prior to our conception of it. In order to become aware of "what is", concept is inessential. On the other hand, if no word is given, the reality of it is harder to grasp, since there would be nothing for the mind to place its attention on. Concept brings up a distinction to which to point. One drawback, however, is the possibility of being tempted to holding onto such concept, thus missing the reality that is being pointed at by that particular distinction, whatever it is.

@AndylizedAAY It was an offensive image so I hid it. Insults and inflammatory language are not allowed.

You're making up excuses for why one should lie and get away from imagined unwanted consequences. This is disempowering. We don't tell the truth because we want to get a lollipop (some form of self-interest, like wanting to be liked, being perceived a certain way, etc). Some caution and discretion are called for in certain social interactions. Depending on whether a relationship allows for brutal levels of honesty, those levels needn't be reached. Just become aware of this disposition. Lying makes you a liar! Take a look at the consequences in your experience. I suspect you're not being honest enough. There might also be some confusion as to what "telling the truth" means. It's more nuanced than telling everything you can to everyone, or sharing whatever comes up to your mind at any moment. It's a good book.

Read the book.

Interesting

@AndylizedAAY Avoid insulting

imo that is the sensible and powerful thing to do. Or just avoid the question in the first place.

You'd first have to become conscious of what another is, which I haven't done yet. "Other" may as well be a belief but since in my experience others seem to exist, I won't say that it's a belief. This domain is of deeply-held assumptions, not merely of superficial ones.

Doesn't that also produce harmful compounds in food?

Seems like we're bringing up and confusing a bunch of stuff. I'm gonna throw some crap around and see if it helps in some way. It's possible to do away with many of one's beliefs, perhaps even all of them. Most of what we assume isn't cognized. You've got beliefs that you know are superficial or not really true. Go for the most obvious ones. Many are disempowering and not needed. Some are useful, none is true (the truth itself). With beliefs out the way, openness and in turn effectiveness will likely increase in one's life since your perception won't be clouded with so many conceptual add-ons. This practice isn't about leading an empirical life per se, but about becoming free of beliefs, which includes recognizing them as such. Don't know about the connection between gut feel and belief. Don't know about that. Belief isn't the appropriate word there. Hypothesis, perhaps. I'd say that's good as long as you don't confuse it for a direct experience of the truth, which many people end up doing. Beliefs are used to cover up one's ignorance and lack of direct experience. Even when a direct experience is achieved, that doesn't guarantee your mind won't make up ideas about it. What needs to be done is changing one's relationships towards beliefs. Notice they can be useful tools but are never true. A belief is about what's true. I'd focus on contemplation instead of looking to adopt more beliefs.

I'm fine with the current structure

@Someone here It's not about value. About, is not it. A belief is like a photo of an apple. Experience is like perceiving an apple. By its nature, belief isn't the truth and can't ever be.

You don't need a belief for becoming conscious of whatever's true. And they always get in the way. That's the gist of it.

Check out Ryan Holiday, that might help.

I'd say better grasp your nature and then probably that question won't arise. If it does, then ask yourself.

Ha. Don't be too quick to assume understanding. If you hold it as merely understanding their words, OK then. Still, it sounds like your cup is full.

Check out something that is real, like Krishnamurti.

What? Like a zen koan.

how so?

That sounds more like pain to me. Suffering seems to be an added conceptual activity that, if grasped, can be mostly done away with. Probably not so much when it comes to extreme physical harm. Personally haven't done it, I just hear tell that it's a possibility.

Mostly on books. Supermind, evil, cosmic power, cosmic knowledge. Haha, when he uses qualifiers like marvelous, cosmic, powerful, things like that. I imagine this communication style is done partly for marketing purposes. Not saying it's bad, the substance of his communications and their delivery are great.