Patrick

@Leo Gura Wow. We are thankful you didn't go down that route. Didn't know that part. Criminal how? (I understand if you'd rather not answer that). In any case, how did you deal with the "social game" involved in working with your past gaming career company? I understand you are introverted--I am struggling with this so so hard right now. I'm floored by how much employers value extroversion and "fitting in well into the corporation" versus actual competence, which I value so much. I am very introverted as well (INTJ personality type)...

@Juan Cruz Giusto Man, how true I have found this to be. Whenever I wanted to attend church in my earlier days... It was always attached to some feeling of guilt. Always (i.e. "God will punish me if I do not go"). I am grateful; growth is possible!

@Leo Gura Thank you for your wise words, Leo. Much appreciated!

@cetus56 Thank you for your support!

@Leo Gura Perhaps Jed + Steven Norquist's explanation of enlightenment is exaggerated--my question for you is, why would they feel the need to do so? What's lurking on the other side? Can you know for sure without having experienced it yourself? As Steven Norquist puts it, enlightenment is "serious business," is irrevocable, nor does he ever recommend it to anyone else (he hides it from his family in fact)--According to his haunting, yet consistent description of enlightenment, it's complete annihilation, destruction, the body will literally experience "horror;" "You" will literally never be the same again, and you cannot know how the human body will react afterwards. You will feel utter "emptiness" every single second of every single day for the rest of your life. He's lost motivation: (from article) "I have hesitated to write about it not because enlightenment itself is so hard to describe, but because enlightenment tends to make one quite lazy. Before my change I was a busy beaver, reading and writing and playing music and sports and really actively getting out there. But after “the change” as I call it, there was a clear vision of how silly all this activity was and how much incredible effort is required to perform it." And he's even lost touch with how to navigate just mundane reality. It sounds like enlightenment work is risky business to be perfectly honest. http://www.spiritualteachers.org/norquist_article.htm

@abrakamowse True Are you speaking from experience?

@abrakamowse I'll never know what it is until I am enlightened, however, enlightenment to me is a label for breaking the illusion of the self-concept, the "I," or identification with this human mechanical body.

I just read Steven Norquist's essay on his enlightenment... After reading it, I had a minor ego-trip of depression the following day--It just made enlightenment seem so hollow. To be, or not to be? Is it worth it? http://www.spiritualteachers.org/norquist_article.htm I don't know...

Maxwell Maltz, Psycho-Cybernetics: (paraphrasing here) You learn by moving forward, making mistakes, and correcting them. The biggest mistake is worrying so much about making a mistake, that you never move forward. (at least in the mundane world, not necessarily to enlightenment).

@Nulik Life Purpose (Self-Actualization perspective) = Top Unique Ability + Impact On The World + Domain of Mastery + Ideal Medium. How are you impacting the world? Why is it that your "life purpose" will be completed in just 4 years, versus striving towards an ideal for a lifetime? P.S. Impacting your family & friends ≠ impacting the world. Why is your "life purpose" not selfish? Are you absolutely sure you're crystal clear what you want in life?--That this is what you want, and not what you think you want? Have you thought about this deeply? Contemplated, introspected, journaled, meditated, etc? P.S.S. Purpose ≠ Goal

@Jhonny Hey man. I struggled with height myself for almost a decade from elementary school to high school (I could never pass 5ft. 0inches). I was quite literally the shortest kid throughout most of my early schooling career--I swear though, now that I look back on it, it really was a massive internal/emotional game, rather than a physical one. You don't need to be any specific height --I caused myself a lot of needless suffering back in the day being obsessed with this perception that I need to be taller to somehow fit in. It made me tougher in the end, but please, just love yourself. Compare yourself to no one. You are exactly who you are supposed to be in this world, and no one will ever be exactly like you. There is no definite "normal" or "standard" height. I promise, all of this will seem like a distant silly memory later down the road--practice self-acceptance, and patience with yourself I have a short story on this--maybe it will help you see your issue through a bigger picture perspective! Bloom by Patrick Pfeiffer - Final Portfolio.pdf

@Gmork That is what I have been reading in nutrition literature as well--I believe the only safe method if you ever do choose to eat spinach, is if you boil it. And even then, I believe it's a good idea to limit your popeye intake.

@vizual @Blessed81 I'm not 100% certain coffee is just for Orange and the stages below; Nor that coffee itself inherently gives you a "high," which assumes a "low" must logically follow. Full disclosure, I drink coffee. I drink 1 cup (8oz) of bulletproof coffee daily in the morning, and meditate immediately afterwards (1hr of mindfulness cycles, and then .5hr of do nothing, both in determined sitting mode). What seems to give the "low" or "crash" in traditional coffee (even organic is not safe from this, unfortunately), is mycotoxins--basically moldy coffee beans, which America is notorious for importing because of their relatively low standards for "fresh" coffee beans, relative to Europe, for example. Bulletproof coffee beans, although more expensive, are the only beans I am aware of that are created / lab tested to have virtually zero mycotoxins. Mold by the way, in any form, seriously hinders your cognitive abilities as well as overall health. No dose of mold is great. I have been using bulletproof coffee for a few months now--never have had a crash. I watch my coworkers grab their 2nd, or even 3rd coffee in the middle of the afternoon because they need a "pick-me-up"--I've never encountered this issue. If you can be mindful of your habits/addictions, and drink it responsibly to have a focused work day (or meditation session), drinking it responsibly, I don't see why it has to be "evil." Although this is purely from my experience and perspective--if you disagree or have a different viewpoint, I would love to hear it! As for using coffee to whip yourself into high gear, you're probably right. I suppose your intentions behind any action is what truly matters at the end of the day--more so than the action itself!

@Leandro Oliveira I am also extremely curious--I even appreciate you just introducing the topic, because I hadn't heard of the Bates Method! Unfortunately, my left eye is considerably less sharp than my right eye (I took an eye exam, and my right eye in fact scored higher than my left eye in clarity), and this problem became prominent only very recently (for the past two years it has been a very gradual decline). Has anybody tried this method? I am avoiding glasses because I am hearing they actually worsen your vision over time. Is this true? I am a filmmaker, and my vision is invaluable to me... Help!

@Nick That is so so true. I can tell you right now, it did in fact come in handy for three "dark" days in my life. It's a great skill to have in your back pocket: Complete self-reliance, even from food (temporarily, at least), and endurance to survive in "dark" moments. Hahaha. IF is great. What do you guys think about supplementing IF with bulletproof coffee, for example?: Cheating, or a legitimate method with the same benefits, minus the hunger/mood changes?