Matt23

@Strikr ... You're an inspiration to us all. An example for everyone wishing to reach their full potential. You are the reason I get up in the morning, strap on my gloc, get that paper, and spin those rims. Thank you.

@Chase Ellfeldt Yeah, I thought it was like that as well. I feel like, at this point anyway, for me it's about experimenting more and gaining more life experiences. Not a lot, but I'll be reading some biographies for the life purpose course. Thanks

We do need money if we want to live in this culture. Money is a resource that helps us survive. It sounds to me like he was being a bit black and white and maybe didn't consider why following passion is better for making money then not. Yes, you'll need money while you work towards getting your passion making money for you. So following your passion blindly and without any strategy for supporting yourself in the meantime until you get it up and running is probably unwise. The argument that convinced me to follow passion over money is that it will ultimately create more money since the motivation, energy, and creativity will be much, much, much more strong then following only money and quitting on your passion. I also don't think that in following your passion you will have smooth sailing and no days of laziness or resistance either. Simply that the amount of resistance and lack of motivation will be much stronger and you won't be able to "bust through it" as easily without passion or purpose. Therefore, I think even if you only wanted to follow money and financial security that following your passion would be the best way there. But that doesn't mean quit your day job without any career capital or skills. But, then again, quitting your day job and going all out is the way to go for you....I dunno.

Dido. @ThetaWhat have been your most effective techniques in dealing with this issue for you? I find it very difficult to pinpoint exactly what the cause of an emotional or psychological issue really is since lots of these symptoms are so general and are attributed to many other issues. How do you know it's this issue specifically? What process led you to believe or know it's this issue for you? I don't doubt that myself and many people suffer from being emotionally neglected to one degree or another. Thanks

Hey. So I'm about to do my first solo meditation retreat and am wanting some advice and tips. Firstly, when psychological stuff comes up would it be better to deal with it (contemplate it, think about it, use exercises on it, "work it") or to keep on sticking with the meditations as best as possible? Would you recommend sticking with certain types of meditations? Would you recommend using one or multiple types of meditation and self-inquiry? If you've done retreats, how have you structured them? What were some lessons you learned from your retreats? From failures or successes. Thanks!

Leo's got a great video on how to deal with strong negative emotions that might be helpful if you have't already seen it.

I'm 26 as well and your story resembles mine. On the brink, or feeling like it, of suicide and having immense anxiety and depressive episodes. Lots of emotional "issues" and addictive behavior (eating). If this was school, what would you say that you are supposed to be learning here? What's the lesson? What do you feel is necessary or calling you to do or look at? What is your situation and why is it so difficult? Describe it to yourself as clearly and factually as possible. The environment, your thoughts, your emotions, your relationships, your habits, etc. Sometimes I find asking questions and describing the situation helps me. I would suggest letting go into the negative emotions and thinking as much as possible. No resistance. Dive into it. That has helped me in the past and I've come out the other side thinking way more positively. I've even heard accentuating the feeling or thinking is a way of getting control over it. Community and environment, for me, have also been really important. Volunteering, working at outdoor lodges, intentional communities, school, maybe even going to church if you think that will bring you closer to feeling safer, more secure, understood, warm, etc. Practicing honesty and truth with myself and others is also something that has helped me. Being vulnerable. Practicing loving-kindness can also help "disintegrate" negative emotions. I start with thinking of a picture that makes me emotional and brings the feeling of love. Then I focus on it and try to maintain and grow it as much as possible. It often melts away any negative feelings or reduces them significantly. It's especially helpful when I don't know what else to do. Being creative in any way. And Nature! That's been a savior for sure. Forest bathing. Taking mindful forest walks. Listening to birds and sounds. Looking at the trees and leaves. Exercise. What exercise can you do? Simply ideas and suggestions.

In the past I've stood out in the snow for long periods (1-4 hours) and it seemed to release my stresses, anxieties, emotional wound and hurts. Does anyone know of any formal methods or research about using cold for personal-therapy or growth? Thanks for any info.

I think they can help you come up with more ideas for the future. You might have insights after you do a small bet that sparks something else. Or after you do several small bets you might start seeing a pattern and combine them or something like that.

What are the best ways to have mystical experiences? By best I mean: 1. Quickest 2. Most likely 3. Safest 4. Cheapest I've been doing meditation for about four years now, and self-inquire for about a year. I've struggled getting into a good rhythm with any of these techniques. Even though I've been doing them pretty much daily. Whenever I meditate, even now, I feel like it's such a slog and it feels like I'm not getting anywhere. So I'm looking for a more direct route. It seems like psychedelics (particularly 5-Meo DMT) is the quickest route, but I'd love to hear of other ideas. Thanks any ideas.

Do you want to read Rumi? What most interests you? What do you feel the best way to go is? Do you think it's better to hold off on going deep into spirituality at this point or to commit more to life purpose? There is the possibility of doing both. Spread your wings. Let fly. Do what you feel is wisest and dearest to your heart. Open your mind to all the possibilities. Be patient. Have fun. Enjoy it

A little more then 2 years. I finished it recently and still feel like I want to polish it. I'll probably work on it for years and years to come. refine, refine, refine.

Hey, I'm interested in the work of Ken Wilber and Integral Life and am wanting to hear some feedback or opinions on it from others. Have you tried it? How has it worked for you? Strengths, weaknesses? Opinions? Any and all thoughts greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Yeah. I agree @vpandey probably won't go into it straight away and do mini solos in the woods. I don't really know where it came from either. Some urge coming from somewhere. I think I have this fear that I'm supposed to do it (from this urge. Whether it's authentic, positive, or negative, I don't know), like "god" or life is pushing me to do it. And if I don't I'll be not listening to my highest self and will be ignoring some greater hero's journey. Something along those lines. Also I've been doing Nathaniel Branden's sentence completion exercises and in the past I've often come up with "Go to the woods". I suppose it could still be an ego trick too. It's all very hard for me to tell haha. But I'm not going to jump the gun or anything and take the slow n' steady approach. Thanks for all your support, advice, and wisdom.

I've had this idea for a while now (a couple years maybe) of going to live in the woods for a few years and simply do spiritual work. I think it's a manifestation of a thought I've had for more years (which is leaving my family and known world for a couple years) that originally came, I think, from a documentary I watched on these South American native people who lived around the Patagonian Mountains. They'd initiate their shamans by putting them in a dark cave for two years (if I remember correctly). I keep feeling this urge to do it but also I'm really scared and concerned to do it. I've had a pretty emotionally turbulent past 5 or 6 years and haven't had much happiness. I feel like if I do this wood living business I might screw my life up even more and end up worse off and wreck my life beyond repair and end up killing myself or something. Does anyone have any thoughts about this or know of people who've done similar things? I did meet one guy who lived in the woods near where I live for three years and he seemed still sane. I wouldn't say he was a high functioning person or successful, but he seemed fine and capable. Thanks for any thoughts.

Yeah, thanks. I've had similar thoughts and feelings about his work and the integral community. They seem very professional, trustworthy, realistic, yet also seem bring a great sense of optimism and possibility with their work. They seem well put together as a whole. I'd love to hear about your experience once you've started the practices. Good Luck

@Leo Gura Yeah, I considered that it's probably a lot more difficult then I think. I live in Canada and l tried doing a 7 day solo last March/April and found even being out in the wild to be difficult. Even though I had plenty of supplies and was comfortable and safe. Simply being in the wilderness (the cold, walking in the forests, etc) was strenuous. Also, how much would you rely on sentence completion exercises to guide one's life and direction? @cetus56 I don't know. I took an adventure tourism diploma and a 90 hour wilderness first aid course. I also grew up camping and being pretty active. I don't think I have lots of skills or experience compared to what is probably required. But I think with more practice I could develop the required skills. I guess I feel somewhat confident doing it in terms of the "hard" skills and actual survival. What I'm most concerned about is that I'll waste my life and end up in more psychological pain and suffering then what I've already experienced and am dealing with (which is quite significant for me). That's, for me, the hardest part of this.

@Gabriel Antonio Thanks for the thoughts. Yes, community has definitely been something that has, in the past, helped me a great deal and significantly reduced my neuroses. I guess I fear not sticking to a spiritual practice rigidly because I fear I will "fall" and lose all the work I've done. I'm scared I won't get what I want or develop myself enough to survive in the world or be happy. It's like all the negativity I've experienced has made me, probably, super strict with myself out of fear of slipping back into the sludge. I will try to, wherever I am, to create that close-knit community for sure as I realize its importance for me now. It's great to know that there's also people here. So mucho mucho gracias!

Hey. So I've had this going on for a couple years now. I've had a pretty rough past 5 or 6 years. Ever since I graduated in 2010. Growing up I suppose I often felt bullied by my brother and some sort of negative feelings generally (with family more so), but I never thought anything of it and don't know if I had any particularly severe forms of abuse or neglect. Part of me is starting to think so because of the trauma and severely negative feelings and behaviors I've experienced since graduating. Currently, whenever I have to "go out on my own" in society and take care of myself, I seem to really hit rock bottom and pull myself down. But whenever I'm in a community setting, or a place where I know that people will be there that I can interact with I do much better. I lived at an outdoor lodge this summer and it was a tight knit community and I did much better. Even though I still experienced similar negativity, it was much less severe. The self-sabotage looks something like this. Currently my work at the lodge is over and I'm at my moms and am about to leave to move to another city and work. Now, when I try to do my morning routine or contemplate, the resistance is so bug that my body (I) starts shaking and my left arm tenses so much and, if I don't put lots of effort into controlling it or if I continue to do the exercises, I will start hitting myself. I will also start binge eating again. And watching porn. But mostly the eating. My thoughts also turn really nasty towards my self. Like "Sit the fuck down!" and "Die motherfucker die! Go fuck yourself!". Also, whenever I know I have to do something that would be healthy for me, physically, but more psychologically and emotionally, (like express my self truly, or stand up for myself, or do the things I want to do that make me happy and choose wisely my friends, etc, I will deliberately not do them and pull myself down. It's like I'm being a child who will not cooperate or do what's needed to be happy and healthy. It's like a fuck everything attitude. Or an "I hate everything and everyone" attitude. I've also come across this notion that "I'm not a good person", which is quite strong I think. And It's come across as "I'm terrible," or "awful" etc. There's also often/always a tight feeling in my chest. Like a searing, or a tinge. I feel like I'll ruin my life, almost deliberately, even though I see the potential in me and love and the opportunities to connect with others and that others do like me (sometimes :)). It's like there's life and love and all these wonderful possibilities. Things I can do that I see in myself and the world. But then there's this part of me that says "Nope. Not for you. You're not good enough. You deserve to rot and die in hell." And this makes me so broken hearted. Does anyone have any ideas or techniques or areas to start exploring to work on and uncover what this is and to heal it? Anything would be muchly appreciated. Matthew

Yeah, I definitely fear doing so as I think it makes no rational sense at the moment. I mean, I really feel like I've already missed out and dug myself into a hole in life and feel like that would make it worse. @Leo Gura I'm 26, and my financial situation isn't secure. I have a decent savings, but I don't have any solid career or much career capital to support myself or offer the world. I definitely wouldn't say I'm mentally stable. I've been coping a lot and have felt at times extremely negative and painful emotions. Sometimes driving me to suicidal thoughts and feeling like I can't cope with the pain. Nature has usually helped though, and I've always felt I could calm down there and, yes, "get away" from it. I know that being in a close community setting has always helped as well though. Feeling like part of a group or something like that usually calms my neuroses down. I've never been diagnosed with any mental disorders. It's funny, I seem to not be able to tolerate being alone in the city or around others, but in nature I feel better. Though I haven't gone into nature alone for more then 6 days. I also realize that it would take a lot of skill building, training, and strategy to actually make this happen. It's funny though, I took the life purpose course and identified Courage as one of my top 3 values, and to me it means spending a couple years in the woods doing spiritual work. Even though when I think of it I feel like it would be sooooo much work to do that and I'd have to overcome sooooo much. I don't know. It sounds to me, from reading this and typing this out that I've got some issues that are probably severely blocking my view. Thanks for the questions and input.

Wow. Thanks for all the input. @Shin haha I like that. @SriBhagwanYogi I thought MDMA was more of a feeling, emotional high? What types of effects can it have? Have you had or heard of anyone who's had mystical experiences on it? If so, what were they like? Thanks for any info. I don't know about all this non-seeking versus seeking. It seems to me that Leo advocates seeking as a means to motivate oneself. Which I can see as being very useful, and without it might not continue or work as hard with spiritual practices. Yet, I can see also how it may lead to feeling unsatisfied in the present moment. I feel like for me at this moment, I don't really care if I'm a little dissatisfied in the moment by not having a mystical experience. And that chasing a mystical experience and being highly motivated to do so (resulting in putting in the necessary work...hopefully) would be wise for me. But, maybe not. I don't know. Thanks for the advice anyhoo.

Thanks both of you guys for the support. It's really nice to know there's people here I can talk to and get advice from . @Healingheart Thanks for the offer, and vice versa. I'm currently practicing cultivating that feeling of love every day. I think it's taking the edge off. Especially in times where I'm feeling extra negative or having really difficult negative emotions. It seems to cut through lots most of the time. @Martin123 I'll give your advice a try and see what happens. I've felt I've been pushing and grinding out these strict things (meditation and other spiritual practices especially) for a few years now and it seems that it hasn't done too much and sometimes makes things worse. It's like I'm hitting my head against a wall. My meditation habit, even after 4 or so years, still feels like a real drag to maintain. I'm going to try out what you said along with doing some more shadow work. If anything happens I'll let you know. Thanks again to both of you. Much love.

I can't say I've felt as you've felt because I don't know. But I do know I've felt immense, long lasting (years) of emotional/psychological pain and have at times thought similar things. Feeling that it will never end. Recently I've started spending time every day, and whenever I start feeling those familiar negativities rising, practicing giving my self love and working on "growing" or cultivating that feeling. It takes a bit of work, but I find if I stay with it, even for a moment, that love feeling can dissolve pretty much anything and reduce my suffering a great deal. I find it helps to think of something that makes me feel love, even the slightest, and then "hold" and try to accentuate that feeling even more. Growing it more and more until it dissolves the negativity, whatever it may be. I hope and wish for you all the way to where you are. I love you very much. You are beautiful as you are.

What are the best (quickest) ways to have mystical experiences? Is 5-Meo DMT the quickest?

I've also been doing lots of Nathaniel Branden's sentence completions and in the past I got a lot telling me to go to the wood