BHL_20

@Wind This was a big problem for me for a while as well. One thing that helped is doing a meditation and getting in touch with my inner wisdom even for just a few seconds. If you do that notice that your authentic self doesn't actually demonize success. Demonisation of the ego may seem like the smart thing to do but deep down you know it's neurotic and it isn't helping you. Another thing that helped me is asking myself questions like "am I completely sure that success will get in the way of spiritual progress?" and "is my current identity any better or more spiritual than the identity I would have after achieving success?". These are good if you've had this limiting belief for a long time and it has become sticky because they open your mind to other ways of thinking.

Einstein had a college degree. I think the reason Leo says it's a strategic blunder is because of his personal experiences with college. Leo has mentioned a few times that he majored in philosophy, which probably had a huge influence on his current way of thinking and seeing the world. I don't think it's so much that college helped him develop technical skills. Take that as you will.

I used to wonder why every self improvement product on the internet is marketed the same way. You know the video where the guy tells his life story, gets your email so they can send messages to you every day about how this really is the last day of the offer, and tells you there's been ten discounts on the price. Well I got my answer recently while listening to an interview with Eben Pagan. Apparently, most of this stuff comes from him. Everyone and their mother is using Pagan's tactics to market their products, but is this really the most effective strategy? First few times I encountered this type of marketing it was extremely convincing but after a while I got completely desensitized. Like I know the guy probably made up half his personal story, they're lying about the all price cuts, and I know there's no "last offer", as long I can find the link I can buy it. Also, it's not like I never actually tried any of these. Once I got bought that didn't resemble at all what was advertised at all and another time I was automatically subscribed to a monthly membership fee (which I managed to cancel but as a consequence lost access to elements of the product which I had initially thought I'd be getting permanently). These bad apples can make you skeptical about totally different products just because of how homogenized the marketing is. The thing is it's not just scammers that use it, Leo and many other self-help gurus whom I would completely trust use it. Which probably means it's quite effective despite being ubiquitous and sleazy. I know I'm ranting here but I'd really like to hear how some other people feel about this. Could there be an opportunity for someone to stand out if they market their product their product in an original and honest way or is internet self-help forever doomed to be this obnoxious?

The fact that so many vegans get extremely emotional at any disagreement and call eating animals things like "the single most destructive human act possible" really turns me off from the movement. It seems very dogmatic and it's shocking when vegans go to extremes like saying meat-eaters should die. It's like religious people used to justify torture/killing of people for acts of heresy or blasphemy. It's scary how easy it is to justify killing another human being. The other main issue I have is dietary concerns. Every nutritional expert I've come across seems to condemn eating carbohydrates. It is said that consumption of grains can lead to obesity and diabetes and it's widely recommended to completely cut them out. Of course, meat can also cause problems if not kept in moderation but it isn't seen to be that bad. Moreover there are animal products like fish and eggs that are considered quite beneficial. And if we cut out both carbohydrates and all animal products we don't exactly have much left. At that point nuts and oils are the only sources of calories left that I can think of.

@JevinR What do you mean when you said you sold your soul to get this information?

@Xpansion No it's not abusive just very stressful.

We live in the same house and I wouldn't be able to get a place of my own for at least a year yet. It's having a large negative impact on both our lives. What can I do to minimize this problem?

Yes you are. That shouldn't let you stop using them if you're a beginner because a healthy ego is easier to transcend than an unhealthy one.

Childhood is often glorified and people like to see kids as wise (in their own way). I've noticed that people pursuing enlightenment take this to the next level. It's a kind of "we used to be enlightened so all we're doing is returning to our natural state" reasoning. Looking at the behavior of kids however, it doesn't make sense. - Young kids don't know that other people matter at all. Concern for others and empathy are developed gradually. - They have almost no tolerance for pain or physical discomfort. - Kids have a very low tolerance for boredom. And enlightened people, almost by definition do not get bored. A kid would not be able to just sit still and do nothing. They need attention and stimulation. - At elementary school age kids tend to fantasize a lot about want to be and these fantasies tend to be very unrealistic and over-the-top. Some people treat this as something to try to emulate - "they have no fears or limiting beliefs. we must learn to think like them." But really these fantasies are just a means of compensating for feeling small, powerless and insignificant. They are a way for the child's ego to make itself feel special. The only argument for kids being enlightened is the "life felt magical back then" memory. But instead of attributing that feeling to a higher state of consciousness why not just use Occam's Razor and attribute it to life having been a novel experience. If I were to go to an exotic country I never seen before, or date a person unlike anyone I encountered before, it would also feel magical to some extent. And I already have some notion of things like travel and dating. As a baby we had no previous notions about life so it's understandable that the newness was overwhelming.

@Emerald Wilkins As someone who has never taken psychedelics, I'm just curious, if those experiences were so amazing why don't take them again? Not saying you should of course.

Yeah, I have experienced this as well. The only way your passion can be a constant struggle is if you're approaching it in a neurotic way. The first thing you can do about that is slow way down on whatever you're doing.

Um I think most of the world's population is glad to have been born. Don't overestimate how bad life is before enlightenment. The egoic mind causes suffering but there are still good times in life, and those good times make the suffering worth it. Especially if you have a life purpose and are doing personal development. Personally, even when my ego has gotten out of control to the point where I thought about suicide I never regretted being born in the first place. And since you say that we're all better off dead, what are your reasons for not killing yourself?

@electroBeam I don't think you are being indoctrinated because you are not actually thinking the same way as the other people in the church. You are not thinking the way they may want you to think. Most Christians people have a very literal understanding of the Bible. When they talk about the "eternal" they imagine a life after death, similiar in some ways to this one, but full of contentment and joy. Meanwhile you are trying to connect to that eternal joy here and now through meditation.

Honestly I hope he does. What exactly are people complaining about here? That a self-help/enlightenment forum exists? You can find much more unhealthy ways to waste time on the Internet. Dude, you're the one scrolling for hours on end, it's your fault. I only visit the forum once in a while and as a consequence, when I do I don't feel like I'm "reading the same shit". You are simply playing the victim by saying that in order to quit a forum you need to be able to delete your account. How are you sure you wouldn't make a new one? Maybe you need Leo to come over to your house and block this website on your computer? I'm not trying to bash you for getting addicted but please don't blame external factors for your addiction. I think Leo is aware that for certain people the forum can become a low consciousness activity but so can many other "positive" things like work, exercise and seeking spiritual experiences.

I have a victim mentality in a few areas of my life. However, my limiting beliefs mainly don't concern the external world. My thinking tends to go along the lines of "the fear I experience is overwhelming when I do this" or "it's too uncomfortable emotionally to do that". Also things like "if I could be more present in the moment things wouldn't be so difficult". I'm sure many you have had thoughts like this. If so, how do you deal with feeling like a "victim" of your mind.