Natasha

Benefits of the Ego (by Ralph Smart): - it's connected to our subconscious mind and serves as a survival mechanism during evolution - it helps us learn about and appreciate contrast, without contrast we would never learn about onenness - it helps us clean up filters and become more authentic - it teaches us about our limitations, which makes us see the beauty of living in the heart space - it competes, dominates, and controls, which helps us see these things as an illusion - it divides, which helps us create unity and more love - it connects us to the lower self and cheers us on to the higher self - it helps us know ourselves by going into the wilderness and realizing that everything society taught us about who we are is a lie - spotting ego helps stop letting it rule us and bring more wonderful and amazing people into our life

Do some research on breast implants - they are real health hazard. And how can it not be when someone has plastic bags filled with silicone sewn into her body. Reported health hazards are (among others) - wearing a bra day and night to prevent shifting (affecting circulation of lymph system), plastic sack rapture and leaks into the body, periodic surgical adjustments, dangerous when overheated, plastic releases toxins into the body overtime, etc. Perhaps she has a mild case of dysmorphia (when one views a part of their body as imperfect) . Statistics also show that marriages where a woman has breast implants have higher divorce rate. Instead of perking up her boobs, help her perk up her self-esteem.

@jjer94 Great book suggestions, thank you! Will check them out. I've already been doing some of the things, like continuous body detox with raw food/juices/Chlorella, and cell regeneration with PQQ 20 mg + Kaneka CoQ10 100 mg, etc and am currently testing raw phytoplankton. Seeing good results so far. I also agree that detox through sweating is of huge importance, as skin is our body's largest organ. Regeneration always happens from inside out. Dr. Group from Global Healing Center giving practical pointers on longevity

@AleksM Stay open-minded, question everything, and recognize beliefs for what they are - an illusiory thought content... even when they are sold as a cool looking shiny pendant, or channeled by a mystical 'future self' You're a smart guy, you get it.

There is a lot going on in your conceptual world right now. So like you said, don't lose yourself in the content of it

Then, if for the fun of it, the answer to the OP question from 'me' would be a yes

There is no such thing in reality as 'future self'. 'Future' does not exist, so does not 'self'. An enlightened person would recognize that.

@Joseph Maynor It's like asking ocean if it believes it 'creates' waves. The Absolute is impersonal and doesn't have beliefs. All that can be said is what's happening is a mystery and 'we' are on a wild ride. Good luck to all of 'us'

@AleksM I just checked out a couple of the YT links you posted in OP. Could it be just mind control veiled in fancy content? There is also his body language that I found off-putting (lack of eye contact/shifty eyes, monotonic, fast, script-like speaking, wearing sunglasses alot). Videos of young people (esp girls) giving their 'starseed' testimonies. The pendulum advertisement (how much does he charge for that?). And the content itself sounds like something you read in a Sci-Fi book (nothing he talks about can be verified in direct experience). That's just my initial impression of Arcturus Ra, and I trust my gut intuition.

We 'follow' the body for the same 'reason' an ant 'follows' its body - an automatic/instinctive/conditioned happening. If ants had human brain, they would think they are building something meaningful what in reality is just a pile of dirt.

@kieranperez It's hard to tell what to do in your situation without knowing your condition and history. Anyone would benefit from daily meditaion and wholesome diet/lifestyle, though. That's always a good start.

The woman was dependant on the anti-anxiety meds. I'm surprised the article didn't report the effect those kinds of drugs have on one's brain and the side-affects of stopping taking them. According to the article Megan had battled mental illness long before the retreat. At the retreat the meds were not allowed, after day 7 she started to get disoriented, but chose to continue for 3 more days. She left the place suicidal while other meditators empowered and restored. The drugs/stimulants warped and altered her mind to the degree that prolonged quiet peaceful state of being became deadly to her. The giant psych drug business is behind her suicide, not a meditation retreat, IMO.

@d0ornokey Work on your personal boundaries and discernment... meaning, you either tell him to back off and let you be, or to go bye-bye. It's not friendship when two peope try to one-up each other, it's rivalry.

@nahtanoj A friend of mine of Indian origin encouraged me to go talk to a priest at a local Hindu temple when I shared with him about my shift. He said I had a gift and that without a guide I'd get lost or take on a wrong path. I respectfully declined, for the same reasons Leo mentioned in his posts above. I'm open and curious to learn about different schools, but would not join any of them. Consciousness work and deepening of awareness does not require following any particular group, it's simply a matter of sitting down and do the work in solitude, and I don't need a Hindu priest or a Zen master to tell me that.

Or as Leo put it "We are nothing, but as special something"

@Toby I agree. It's when it becomes ritualistic (as Afonso witnessed at the gathering) and following dependent and attached to the teacher/guru, that's when it's a matter for mindful re-evaluation. That being said, I have deep respect for Mooji and listen to his teachings regularly myself.

Though Mooji is listed among personality cults, I still find his satsangs deeply insightful. Cults attract insecure, neurotic people to form a following. It's ok to check it out, don't become overly dependent or attached to any teacher/guru, though.

That is how one evolves from a Butt monkey to a Majestic Ape these days

"Every breath you take, every move you make, every bond you break, every step you take...I'll be watching you"

Goodbye My Lover: a psychopath's love song "Cos I saw the end before we'd begun, Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won..."

@Mastral 'No-self' is not achieved, it's recognized/realized. I had my shift while doing this guided self-inquiry:

I need to go to the gym today, don't feel like going though ...would rather stay at home and read the forum But gonna do an emotionally difficult thing , get my butt off the couch and hit the gym and sauna. Yeah!! I know I'll feel better afterwards See ya all in a couple of hours.

@John Iverson Get to know her. If she is open to share your passion for spiritual growth and personal development, then great. If she is not, it might not work out, cos you're not going to be happy with someone long-term who thinks you're weird by doing all this consciousness work. Having a like-minded companion/partner is very important on this kind of journey.

Yes, faking is a sign one lacks emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent people are authentic and genuine.

Psychopaths might have low, average, or high IQ, but they ALL lack in emotional intelligence.