Visitor

@SFRL Thanks, but I already ride at least 200 km (125 miles) a week. But I do need to lose some weight. I am currently doing this by covering most of that distance spinning on the bike. That is, I pedal about 100 rpm in gear that does not raise my maximum heart rate above 75-80%. It is these figures, of aerobic capacity, which the body burns fat more than anything else. So that is my current goal - to lose excess weight by exercising.

@Siim Land Please tell me your version of water fasting.

Decided to include a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, as a motion detector, for operating the console interior lighting when someone approaches it. The PIR will be located inside the console. Because there will be a metal kick-plate covering the bottom of the perspex front panel, the PIR has to be positioned above the plate. A wooden bracket was built to accommodate this. The PIR operates the white double power point which the console lighting power source is plugged into.

Be aggressive (determined) to see the truth behind the situation. Be determined not to be fearful, be determined not to get caught up in the story. Once you see the truth there can only be two outcomes. The aggressor is telling the truth about yourself. If you weren't aware of that truth, then thank the aggressor for pointing it out. If you did know, then agree with them. The aggressor is not telling the truth about yourself. Then you know the problem lays with the aggressor. I usually stay calm, and say nothing, until the aggressor calms down a bit. Sometimes I will say, "Sorry, I do not know what to say because nobody has spoken to me like this before". In most cases, this brings some self-awareness to the aggressor, and can calm them right down to a manageable dialog. Then, if they are willing, I will help them to see their own fears (which is the cause of all aggression). Naturally you need to be sure you know your own truth in the situation. Remember, the aggressor is a fearful person. They are afraid of something which makes them upset. So don't respond aggressively as the aggressor for it will frighten them more so and their aggression will be worse. But do as you have done, stay calm, speak softly too. This will help them to calm down so they can hear what you are saying. Also, I don't hang around bars (speakeasies) where all sorts of loose, and touchy, talk gets around. Been there and done that...no more thank you.

No.

Writers write right? Then if you do that, and enjoy it then you have succeeded. Business people get busy with business. If you wish to be successful in getting published and book sales, then you need to focus on what it takes to do that. Maybe what you like writing about is not what will sell (today / season). Besides, most writers wrote many books before they got their first book published. The strange thing about artists (writers included) is that once they start selling their art, and keep doing so for several years, they start becoming successful. Why so long? Because the public starts thinking that because the artist has been around for awhile that they must be successful, and therefore their art must be good. So they buy your art / books to find out what is so good about it. Their minds will adapt to finding what is good about it with minimal criticism or negative judgement. Most of these people will become ardent patrons and keep buying your books (until something better comes along). So hang in their and don't give up. Be patient. Remember, those that hang in their are most likely to become successful financially.

No, but I just did. So helping others, with knowing your own truth, should work very well with you. Mind you, it has taken me many years to be ruthfully honest, accepting it all, changing for the better, and identifying with other peoples truth (though they often are not mindful of it). It is identifying others in myself which bridges the gap (a unity of sorts). In a nutshell, my self-honesty laid bare my fears, hundreds of them. Now I identify fears much easier in others than they do themselves. Because I will not support their fears, or their denial of them, I simple talk to them as if they did not have those fears. In this way they often let go of what they fear by finding awareness of their own truth of the matter, and the courage to deal with it. I am a helper too, but do not have most of the things outlined in Type 2, because in my self-honesty I have overcome many of those issues that stem from being fearful.

@Himanshu Yes. After all we are simply thought machines.

True. However the longer you practice self-honesty that honesty becomes you. And that new you gets shared with others, because it is you. You may end up helping others, without yourself knowing it, to be honest in return.

@Mario most of self-actualization, while at home, requires no wi-fi, no internet, just quiet introspection (without even sitting in an obvious meditative position). Nobody has to know what you are doing. A lot of self-development in regards to dealing with life situations requires us to do nothing. For example, if you wanted to learn how to be patient, you need to learn how to wait, and what do we do to wait? - we do nothing. The same goes for tolerance, forgiveness, loving, listening, understanding, discovering revelations of own truths. All this in a meditative type states. Be still and accept everything. Your home environment may be a good place to practice these important life skills.

@MiracleMan this may sound silly, but depending on your location, there could be dangerous wildlife discovering you during meditation. Where I live, has the worlds highest population of various venomous snakes. None that I know can detect infrared like the rattlesnake, so being still while a snake travels over you is the best thing to do. So perhaps while in a meditative state you may become aware of a venomous snake (or spider) DO NOT MOVE. On the other hand, it is after about twenty minutes or more of stillness, all sorts of wildlife that comes into your area will most likely observe you as a curiosity. All sorts of birds, lizards, crawly creatures make themselves at home with you. When I lived in the bush, while still under a type of pine tree a black cockatoo above me would snap off cones and drop them on me. I thought it was coincidental so I relocated under another tree. Shortly afterwards the same cockatoo would snap off small branches and drop them on me again. They sure have a character. Once my partner found a lush cool shady area to sit in for some meditation. She quickly screamed out because she sat in a patch of stinging nettle. Once I got engrossed in painting my first (and apparently my last) outdoor landscape on top of a high gorge. After awhile I forgot exactly where I was. I stepped back to get an overview of my painting. Then it occurred to me that the gorge edge was nearby. I looked down at my feet and found my heels half an inch off the edge. I almost had a heart attack from fright. So, though its been a long time since you've done backpacking, I thought I better remind you that it is not necessarily a walk in the park.

Hello Prabhaker. If you are fortunate enough to be looked after (fed, clothed, sheltered) without doing anything, well good for you.

@Visitor Just a thought, why not help others to determine (intuitively) which foods to access for their body to replenish what chemicals it needs. Pregnancy brings this intuition out very strongly in mothers to be. Now there's a challenge even for a nutritionist.

In a nutshell, the more you know yourself the more you can identify with others. As one discovers the multitudes of finer subtleties of self, so too will you identify with other peoples subtleties.

I would not worry about it, because you will undoubtedly implement any innovative approach which will benefit your client. In regards to healing, one ought to remember that it is the body which heals and not the approach or the practitioner. That is, both practitioner and approach only assist the body to heal itself. Having that in mind may start opening doors towards that far more to healing than the scientific paradigm can offer.

@tashawoodfall The basic Life Purpose (LP) within all life is to survive, and then thrive. So you already have a built in LP. Here are some considerations. Most people have some idea of what their LP may be. Many who cannot think of a LP are usually confused, doubtful, or not found anything, with what it may be. If confused, it maybe because what you like to do is not yet formulated. Or it is not just one thing, but two or more. For instance, perhaps one wants to be an artist but also be a botanist. A possible solution is to become a botanist illustrator/photographer. I know a scuba diver guide who has won awards for revealing miniature sea life (specifically Nudibranchs) never seen before. It is his LP and has brought much wonder and beauty to many people. If doubtful, it maybe due to some belief about your abilities to follow your LP to completion. I met a woman in her late fifties who had a dream of becoming a doctor, but a lack of education and becoming a mother created a doubt which stopped her. After all the children left home she was free to reconsider her LP. She thought, 'why not, I've got nothing to do or loose at my age.' So she went back to school, entered university and became a doctor of medicine. She retired about ten years later and now owns a block of units and her own house. If not found anything, it may be because you have not really looked into enough. In regards to career, there are thousands of career types. The Internet and the library are sources for finding out what careers are available in the world. In regards to talent, then I recommend you just follow your heart in whatever field of activity you would like to do. The artist Marc Chagall was told he had no talent, he said "To hell with talent!" He didn't care because he loved to paint, and became world known for his colorist painting style.

@Cuore Things become pointless if you don't work on it. So remember: It works if you work it. This forum allows us to find out what exactly we need to work on for self-development. Currently, I have gone back to the lower parts of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I now need to change my physiological needs to overcome a health issue. I am sure some forum members will help me find out what I need to work on in that regard.

The majority of new science and technology first came about be science fiction writers. In other words, most new ideas come from fantasy imaginings, and then it was up to the practical people to work out how to make it a reality. In this regard, fiction books are a necessity for worldly progress.

When was the last time you really spent some time admiring the night sky.

When I studied Health Science at uni, everybody in the class could identify with many of the symptoms found in the different mental disorders. Many would say "Oh my god, I've got this and I've got that". But that was not the case at all. The book that described these symptoms was called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), now the DSM-V. The difference between self diagnosis, and by those trained to do it, is to know what to look for as guided by the DSM. Mostly it is about the number or range of symptoms, and their consistency over a period of time. Example, many people may undergo certain symptoms for a few days or weeks and then get over it, and the symptoms may come back later on, or it might be only a few symptoms all the time. These may not be regarded as problematic. However, if a large number of symptoms persist for a longer period (say three or more months) then it may be problematic. That is, they may need a change in environment, or medication to get over it, since normal circumstances have not shown any improvement. Who makes these diagnosis criteria? Basically the people who suffer from the mental disorders. They are the ones with the symptoms, and over many years of monitoring and research, the health professional were able to recommend what is, or not, regarded as problematic.

You already know that you need to leave. Stop spending money on what you don't really need, and save that money. This exercise will test you and prepare you for living an independent life. In the meantime, just go through the motions of working and doing what is required to stay at home. Ignore anything negativity pointed at you. It is you taking it in that creates your suffering. When I was about your age I joined the military. There I learnt a cliche that works very well in such circumstances as you are in now. "It's mind over matter. I don't mind and you don't matter". I would say that to myself whenever any negativity was pointed at me. I had to say that cliche to myself because I did not yet know my truth. Now that I do, I no longer need the cliche because I know what is true about what others see, or don't see, about me. The important thing to remember is that deep down, underneath all that rubbish piled on top of yourself, is that you REALLY ARE OKAY. You are a person capable of love and care, and that is part of who you REALLY ARE. This is all you need to remember when times get tough. So, start saving to get out of that negative space. Start looking forward to your independence. Create goals and make plans to manifest them. In this way you will start walking through the new world you have made for yourself.

There is no end to progress. There is always more, always deeper, for one to go. If you want a time, then simply settle for a lifetimes worth. Once I was blessed with a mentor. He was on his path of self-development for twenty years. He was so wise and serene. I said to him, "I wish I had the wisdom and serenity that you have". He said, "Why? Do you want to be twenty years older?"

Self-development is similar to experimenting with what we eat in life. Some only eat-out, some only cook their own, and most do both. Self-development often requires much transformation from the norm. Those that do so are alchemists, they do a fair bit of cooking. I was once invited to a foundation meeting for the Alternative Sciences and Technologies Research Organisation (ASTRO). While people were gathering for the meeting I was wondering around listening to people sprouting all sorts of read knowledge but without any practical experiences. It was sad to see that only one man showed any experimentation, even though he lacked practical know-how. He came to the meeting to find that know-how but found none from the others. They could not relate to him what he needed to know. @Shane597 If you can help others, through your own experience, to become more practical with their self-development, then that would be the greatest way to help others.

Basically, as soon as you let go your fears. Realistically, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

Yes it is true. Let me first give you a simile. Imagine watching a dramatic horror movie on your TV. Relate to how watching it can make you feel tense and fearful. Now as seen as you shift your focus from the TV scene to the scene of the TV itself in your lounge room, all tension starts to dissipate. Even a scene of relief may be experienced. The truth about the movie was that it was make believe picture show, and not real. Likewise, come to realize the truth behind other peoples thoughts and actions by first discovering your own truth. For example, all forms of tension in a person is cause by some fear that they are believing in. For instance, an angry person is afraid of having to change their plans / attitude / perception. An anxious person is afraid of what might not go their way. On the other hand, there are those calm and soft behaviours which is caused by being loving. In all cases, see what is behind the other persons thoughts and actions. Look more for where they are coming from than where they are going with it. Some of the dramatic actions which can easily effect us, is mostly based on some irrational self-centered belief. They may have lost the plot. As they say, the truth of the matter will set you free; to are large degree. I remember a time when a very dysfunctional and angry man was sent to me for counselling. After awhile, he jumped out of his chair and suddenly leaned over my desk, planted his face in front of mine, and started screaming blue murder. However, I saw it coming and did not flinch. As he withdrew to sit back in his chair, I said calmly: "We'll work on your anger as well". He was so impressed that he was keen to come back for more counselling. However, here is something that I could not control at that time. My adrenaline hit the roof. After my client left, I noticed that my whole physiological system was buzzing at high frequency for many hours. So, to a large degree, we can avoid being effected by others thoughts and actions while understanding the truth behind it all. Oddly enough, after not seeing this client for several years, he visited me last week. He has changed so much since then. He seems to be so serene and accepting of life, and he was very accepting to talk truthfully to me. He apologized for screaming at me. He said he was afraid that he would be wasting his time with me, because he actually thought he was incapable of change.