Edvard

What about physical pain? Can you avoid suffering from that? It seems that's what happens when enlightened. I try to check this by taking a cold shower. I really suffer doing that, but maybe there is a way to train my mind to avoid any suffering here? Would that work for sports too, making it easier to push yourself?

Well, I live in Norway, so that's hard at least during mid summer and winter. My problem is that I feel like the type of person who just work and focus well at night and really bad in the morning. I just hate going to bed, and usually can't sleep if I try. I have to figure a way to make it worth it to be disciplined in the mornings, I guess, waking up the same time every day. My mind isn't working or thinking rationally at that time, though, all it wants is to go back to sleep. Plus I am then concerned about losing sleep, because then I have to get to sleep in time in the evenings, which is hard if it's true that my natural day-night cycle is more than 24 hrs. Somehow I made it in the military for 1 year (mandatory service), but it wasn't pleasant in this regard, and some weeks I lost sleep, but it is possible if I really have the right motivation. I think the main problem is discipline.

OK, do you know what kind of work this normally is? Thought it was a lot of studying, at least.

Maybe if I just observe my thinking of the plans, without being attached with them unconsciously. But I guess that is a pretty advanced ability, and may require years of meditation practice? I see, but that is if I choose solely enlightenment work, then. I can't be successfully studying at a university if I just follow my instincts. Or if I become a monk, for that matter.

I'm thinking that life purpose is about focusing on one area (10,000 hour rule), and that whatever I choose I should try to make an impact, because I figure that's the only thing that makes sense if you're going to do anything anyway. Now I'm starting to doubt my will for that, and I'm just content with being in the present, meditating in a room.

I'm on a good path to truth now, having meditated a lot with several awakenings, which makes me very content these days, which is why it's beginning to get hard to see the value in other purposes, something like what @starsofclay described.

Food for some years? Or maybe I would get that from people. I just figure this is the only way to true happiness, getting rid of suffering and become free. I can't choose that though, when ultimately I don't have free will, couldn't have either, so unless I see the truth, life is gonna consist of a lot of suffering, no matter what I choose to do. I think this quote from an unknown to me, is true: "Live your life hard, and it will be easy. Live your life easy, and it will be hard". Doesn't sound pleasant. But, then again, I put the label "hard" on things... But it's not even ultimately my fault if I don't get to see that.

Would you think that when enlightened, though? BTW, wisdom and knowledge also gives me a lot, and makes me feel fulfilled. The question is really what to prioritize (what should be the main life purpose).

Tomorrow? Depends on how much money I need to save. Don't have too much atm. But I'll definetely ponder this possibility.

@Leo Gura Yeah, that's what it seemed like (best life purpose), and that's the area I don't feel lazy at doing. Just thought that day-night rythm in this regard is irrelevant as long as I get enough sleep. I don't have motivation to change it now (because I have the idea it's not necessary).. Based on what I described (that enlightenment is what motivates me the most), I'm 21 years and my life purpose may well change, is committing to physics while doing enlightenment work a good strategy? If I'll go for physics my routines have to change drastically. I plan on discplining my sleep patterns, I have to do that to prepare for the studies if I'm going to be successful in the field, I figure. And, if I don't go for physics I have to get a job, but part time is enough. Thanks anyway.

@Paul Deeb I have long considered me among athiests, but I have never commited to call myself that, neither do I do it now. I take Neil deGrasse Tyson's point of view, stating that the only "-ist" he is is a scientist. It doesn't make sense to go out stating there is no god, nobody knows. Of course, that doesn't mean the chance of there being one is 50/50, but the question is irrelevant in this regard. Furthermore, the existence of a god is not even scientifically impossible. Philosophers have good reasons to suspect that we are in a simulation. Couldn't the creator(s) of this simulation then be the very definition of a deity god? When it comes to veganism, how are the morals here simple? Animals suffer every moment not only because of humans, but all around nature. Of course, that alone doesn't justify causing suffering, but if you are concerned about humans putting a quick bullet through a non-knowing animal's head without any pain (having lived a life because of human agriculture), you should probably rather be more concerned about snakes and cheetahs attacking antilopes. To me, what should matter is suffering. We kill for food, and the science of the health benefits of a vegan diet is not conclusive. Yes, vegans on average tend to be healthier, but that's mostly because they are more conscious of what they eat, while avoiding synthesized meat. We evolved to eat vegatables AND meat, and while the future may be meat free (and that is not a bad thing if achieved), eating meat is natural and if we don't shoot that moose, it may be scratched up to a slow death by a wolf anyway. If you choose to be vegan, fine, but I'm not onboard with your moralization of it (although if a farm causes suffering to their animals I get it, but that's no argument for not eating meat by principle).

@electroBeam Funny and interesting point. The killing of other's argument doesn't seem to make much sense to me. What I think @Leo Gura is most concerned about, though, is not merely killing in seld-defense or accidently, but unconsciously doing so, by following orders without question. But as a doctor, too, you can't reserve yourself from killing tumor cells, right? In many countries you can't even reserve from abortion. So being a doctor has to be low consciousness then. Aren't you taking orders no matter where you work, unless you're the top leader? But even leaders follow orders, by the laws made by the state. So «follow the laws, without question, not because you decide so». Btw, I have already been one yr in the military, didn't start out wanting it, but the law told me I have to serve at least one year. Why isn't this a forum for criminals? Leo wrote once that he almost became a criminal once. But just almost, like it was such a big deal. What if the state forced you to serve the military? Would you break the law, then? Btw, you talk about me being afraid of ISIS, and compared me to birds saying like: OMG!! ISIS!!! NUKES. WE NEED NUKES.. Why is that different from: OMG!! CANCER!! CELLS!!! WE NEED RADIATION!! DOCTOR, RADIATE THE HELL OUT IT!! Now, if that cancer is nazism. Wouldn't you try to cure it? Or is my notion merely a result of me haven't reached the yellow stage yet? because that's where I feel I have just arrived. You said people usually put themselves two stages higher than they are for real, though, but I recognized me having been through all those stages when seeing this eye-opening video.

At this moment in life, having som months of space and time between ending mandatory military service in April this year to starting something else in the Fall, probably higher education, or university. I feel so stuck, but use every opportunity to work on myself, reading books, and I'm way over half in The Life Purpose Course here, doing all the exercises so far. I'm 21 years old. My opportunities are the following: 1. Try for military education (bachelor in telematics, cyber engineering), the admission tests are starting at the end of june, lasting for two weeks. 2. Physics or physics and mathematics at a civilian university. 3. Work for a year (in a shop i.e., won't be a problem to get a job), along with retaking and improving subjects from previous school giving me a chance to consider more attractive universities next year (not that the one's mentioned are bad). This will also give me an opportunity to think more about what I want, it will make me money, avoiding dept when taking loan for the civilian educations, but it will also consume time I could use for educating myself early, which I view as important. I have already had a discussion about the military thing, and know most here aren't too much for that alternative.. I'm passionate about understanding nature and love the satisfaction of understanding generally. have always been curious, but am also in very good physical shape, and like to push myself on training, and getting out of comfort zone. Regardless, I like things that are hard, but I have to love it, and aren't sure about any of these choices until I've really done it for a while, I think. Insigths and advices are highly appreciated. Thank you very much. Am so greatful for this site.

@Tobias Gruba I'm thinking that physics teaches me to solve problems, and to learn how to think, which I can use for many things later. Additionaly I'm interested in reality, how the universe works an everything that has to do with space, so there could be opportunities there, and if I do well, who knows, maybe I can put working at NASA as a goal?

Are other animals self-actualized? Can they become self-actualized or enlightened? If not, where does the IQ limit go, or wisdom, or whatever human quality animals don't have?

After I experienced Absolute Infinity, I'm much more open about that. Life is basically an illusion. I wouldn't be too surprised if consciousness is "recycled" or there is an afterlife that's totally beyond our comprehension. @Leo Gura FINALLY! I've been looking for someone else with a notion like this for several years. I was always thinking this is what Richard Dawkins is wrong about, since I got into getting to know about "new atheism". It didn't make logical sense to me that consciousness would cease to exist with death, and I have been getting more and more sure about it. Problem was that I couldn't find any of my atheistic "idols" thinking like this, and not many other people elsewhere (a few partly on the internet, with questionable sources). My reason for it, and I use logic, maybe that's not how you look at it (because you say you can't use logic to develop enlightenment), is that firstly, you can't be conscious of being unconscious, which means that time doesn't pass for the "dead". If you get unconscious on earth you won't feel the weeks or months it takes to wake up from a coma. So what if this time is infinite? You'll never wake up? Will you wait? No, to me this paradox leads me to supect that "I" had a 100% chance of experiencing consciousness, because that's the ONLY time that can exist, and always will continue to exist in the "future" (I'm not defining time in scientific terms here). There were an infinite amount of other people or "consciousnesses" who could have been in my place, so it just doesn't seem like a coincidence, if it was, consciousness wouldn't have been needed in nature, because of a deterministic universe. I suspect consciousness is a necessity, like a law, because being uncoscious for eternity doesn't make any sense. And like you say when enlightened, I am nothing, but also everything, the universe. That's my notion. We had to wake up somewhere on the time line of eternity, is a quote I have used earlier (by me). Before we were born, we were "dead", so in that sense, we have already raised from the dead. Makes sense? Loved to see this comment, that made me happy, lol. Do you agree with my take on this?

Because evil is a construct of the mind, like I even said, doesn't mean people shouldn't protect themselves or their values. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying that if I become a pacifist now, I can't defend it, that's why I try to understand it. Leo seemed to say that I need to be closer to enlightenment to actually understand that, and becoming enlightened would take thousands of hours training my mind. BTW the vast majority of people aren't pacifists, so it can't be that easy or simple.

@Wyatt Throughout this topic I've been trying to say that's not at all the reason why I CONSIDER being in the military. I am passionate about technology, psysical training, knowledge and growing as a person by pushing my comfort zone. All of that is contained in this military engineering educaiton. OK, it's not going to take thousands of hours. Good, then I can understand it now, which is what I wondered about. So lets discuss it. Come with your understandable arguments for pacifism.

BTW, maybe I can't understand it. if that takes thousaunds of hours of training, should I just take your word for it then, do you suggest?

@Leo Gura How do you know what I'm afraid of? I brought up ISIS as an EXAMPLE because that seems to be commonly viewed as one of the world issues now, by many. I'm not worried in a sense that I'm really thinking about it everyday, fanatizing about their death. I don't even know what to think about death. Again, I used death as an example, asking you on the forum about whether I should value it, in some sort of retorical question, not that I go around scared of death all the time. I want to self-improve and Actualize, but I don't just take a person's word for it when he says: "join the military, and you will be unhappy". I want to understand it myself, too. And how many really scared about death, would even consider to join the military? If I was that scared, I could just let the military do the dirty work, protecting me from ISIS, which I then would be so afraid of..

I don't sincerely believe that anything works, I try to be open-minded. I am faaar from being sure that military is what I should do. Physics at a civilian school is actually slightly more likely at this point, and you helped that to be the case. I look for insigths, I just think that is what I should do now, because I'm so unsure. Most people at my age in my environment don't even think about the possibility that military could somehow be "low-consiousness", "what the hell are you talking about?". I'm trying to seek answers, to understand, and to understand what I should do to be fulfilled, as you correctly realised.

@Leo Gura I don't doubt that, but I'm thinking as deep as I'm capable of (by no free will), trying to do my best, that's why I seek answers.

The chance of getting into real combat is very low, although real. That's a cost I will have to take, of course, but like someone said here: What is your view on that?

@Leo Gura I guess so, so OK, I guess it's obvious I would have a chance afterwards, then. What about during these 6 years? No chance of ever being happy in that time? What if I only do it for developing discipline and growing by learning about military, society, leadership and technology and getting out of comfort zone? And meditate (which I have done 20 minutes a day for a month now). Isn't it at all about intentions, but that just being in the military would never ever make me happy?

@Leo Gura So if I do the military thing for these at least six years, you say I will never be able to reach higher consiousness? Or at least during these six years?