What is your LP currently?
Life purpose is supposed to be the most meaningful thing you find in life. If that is consciousness, then align your LP with that somehow.
 

It will take you guys several years of work just to realize how significant and profound Spiral Dynamics is.
A pig cannot appreciate a pearl.

@JL I was deep into Yellow back when I was in my late teens.
Then after I graduated college I had to start my career and figure out how to pay my own bills. At which point I was forced to regress pretty deep into Orange. It was dirty business. Then 5 years later after integrating lots of Orange, I started to move back into Yellow.
You don't need any money to be Yellow. Yellow is a state of mind. But if you are crippled by self-survival issues, then it will be pretty hard for your ego to go Yellow because you haven't mastered the lower stages yet.
Preoccupation with self-survival is the chief obstacle to evolution into Tier 2.

@MM1988 Don't think of it as "doing work". Think of it as the entire purpose of being alive: to grow.
Life is a virtual reality consciousness evolution simulator.
Welcome to life!

The more green you act the more red blue orange your shadow becomes . . . 

Just to add guys, this will become my routine... (Some extra info there too) 
 

That's the nature of the beast.
Even enlightened people argue with each other and criticize each other. It's a very sneaky problem that few people fully appreciate.
With diversity comes conflict and a certain degrees of chaos.
Infinity is always at war with itself as it radiates infinite diversity.
Even Zen monasteries go to war with each other.
The wise person sees the meta-dynamic and is able to rise above the warring horde (within certain limits).
Enlightened people do not need forums. This forum is for people who are struggling. This is kindergarten

A) Many true hippies from that era remain hippies to this day, and are really into self-actualization and spirituality. Most modern self-help is thanks to the human potential movement of the 60's. Many of today's enlightened teachers were hippies in the 60's. Like Shinzen Young.
B) There was a strong, deliberate crackdown on stage Green by stages Blue and Orange. Capitalism outlawed psychedelics and shut down the counter-culture movement. Because it was a deep threat to capitalism. If the US government did not crack down on the counter-culture revolution and outlaw psychedelics, our culture would be much more evolved today.
C) May of the people partaking of the counter-culture movement were just dabblers. Going to a few music festivals does not mean you're at stage Green in your heart.
Most people today don't recognize how much of an impact the 60's revolution had on modern culture. Its effects can still be felt to this day.

This was probably of one of the most breakthrough insights you could share with us. These last few days have been fresh and new thanks to contemplating on this awe inspiring Intelligence. This concept is motivating me even more to observe myself in a new light. This is allowing me to observe myself non judgmentally and making me slowly realize that even the dumbest of thoughts, self sabotages, self deceptions and neuroses are witnessed and sustained by Infinite Intelligence.
Solitude has been more enjoyable than ever. Looking at nature, trees, animals from this surrendered state brings forth a feeling of awe and appreciation for Infinite Intelligence within seconds (I know its nothing compared to your existential orgasm during your direct insight but still it feels refreshing). And the best thing is I don't have to 'believe' you about Infinite Intelligence and thus I can still keep an open mind. Even just as a concept, this is promoting self observation and thus real growth!
Another thing I am intuiting is that there is nothing called a mistake or accident from the perspective of Infinite Intelligence. Only a superior intelligent system is capable of 'irrational' manifestations like self deception, mistakes etc. which actually verifies how intelligent and complex that system is! A dumb, dead system is incapable of making a mistake. And what we call mistake/accident from our tiny human intelligence, might be the wisest thing that can ever happen.
So Thanks a lot @Leo Gura for your amazing works! Finally a profound batman meme from your Blog which goes so well with this theme and a direct slap on rational, materialistic, desensitized minds which start taking everything for granted 
 

@Durka_Durka You're too focused on action. Don't worry about that. Fixing your self-esteem is INNER work. You don't have to do everything you write. Consciousness is being raised by the exercises. The exercises ARE the action in this case.
Stop guilting yourself and allow yourself to just do the exercises without expectations or rules, without needing some kind of outcome.
As your self-esteem & consciousness increases, your action-taking abilities will also increase.
Action != self-esteem

The teaching of detachment is probably just too advanced for you right now. Go ahead and fix up your life and earn some success. Then you can revisit the importance of detachment (once you have a bunch of attachments and you can appreciate how much they make you suffer).
You need to climb Maslow's Hierarchy a bit before you get into the nonduality stuff. Learn how to function in the world effectively first. Learn how to feed yourself. There will be a lot of personal development lessons there for you.

@The Don 1) You can only speak effectively about topics which you are well-versed in. So lots of research, study, and practice with the topic you're talking about is key.
2) You must also be genuinely passionate and interested in the topic.
3) Practice, practice, practice. Don't think too much, just let your mouth move and say whatever it feels like saying. You can polish it up with more practice.

@The White Belt Well, life goes on. There's not much choice. Either you choose to kill yourself or you choose to keep living. If you choose to keep living, then you might as well enjoy living. In which case, you might as well set some goals for yourself that you feel will please you and help the world. And then you discipline yourself to work on those goals and enjoy the process.
That's life in a nutshell.
Even though I know it's meaningless, I still have certain things I want to get out of life, and certain things I want to create. The creativity is for its own sake. Start doing the things you find most fascinating/beautiful. Or, if you can't do that immediately due to financial limitations, then make a strategic plan to work towards that goal. Ideally, every day should be you doing your art and enjoying the process and enjoying life. You'll need a strategic plan to actualize that. But first you need to find your life purpose (the thing you find most fascinating/beautiful).
Yes, it's challenging. Some days are difficult.

You're missing the easy solution. If you want to get over being socially awkward, why not go socialize?
Meditation and contemplation is your comfort zone. Those are activities you can do alone, i.e not having to be social.

@The Don Push yourself to socialize more. It's a skill that must be developed with practice.
It's hard to solve this problem by sitting at home on your couch.
Psychedelics can also be helpful. They will reveal to you how to be authentic. Then you can carry those lessons over into social life. I found mushrooms to be good for this issue. They make you more playful, uninhibited, and goofy.

For those of you into Kriya, I would highly recommend that in addition to reading the original Kriya book I suggested, you also read the books of Santata Gamana. I now prefer his more simplified techniques. It's a much more streamlined version of Kriya which I think will be even more effective. I found too much needless complexity and variety in the other way.
Right now my technique stack is very simple:
Mahamudra x3 Kriya Pranayama x24 Kriya Supreme Fire x3 One-pointed Concentration for 5 mins Eventually, with lots of practice, you should aim for something like the following stack:
Mahamudra x3 Kriya Pranayama x36-x72 Kriya Supreme Fire for 10-20 mins One-pointed Concentration for 10-20 mins (Bonus: Yoni Mudra x3) (Bonus: Kechari mudra) EDIT: ideally, do this stack twice per day. But if you don't have that much time, at least once per day.
Don't attempt to do this second stack right off the bat. It will not be sustainable. You need to gradually build up to it, like with heavy weightlifting.
I think the original book I recommended is still very good as an introduction and foundation because Gamana's books are so short and thin that they do not provide enough information about Kriya to a total newbie. They are aimed at people who have already been initiated in one school or another.
If you are strictly following the original book, that is okay. You can keep doing that if you want. Or you could switch to this more streamlined version like I decided to do. I don't like learning too many complicated techniques. But that's just me. Both ways should work in the end. It's mostly a matter of style. Although I actually think the streamlined version will end up to be more effective because it concentrates your limited time on the most powerful techniques, and less time is wasted on learning new complex techniques.

Background: 
Born in a communist/orthodox country mentality (Transilvania) 13/04/1987, we were 2 brothers and 1 sister. My parents converted to neo-protestant Christianity. Being forced to go to church from very young age. I saw myself as the helper of humanity until school bullied me so hard that I became to Stutter with my voice. After that, the stuttering became a fear of not speaking, to not stutter around strangers. All started because I had an abused mother and thyroid problems in the family. Had more wealth thanks to my parents, during school, being very hard working people so they were never home, babysitters many years. To cope with the depression of very young age my only hope back then was Jesus and singing (cause i never stuttered while singing hahaha), back in the 90's. 
Long story short: Moved to Spain 2001, still there. Heavy duty participation in the church, until in 2007 I went to college to do a theology degree, did 3 years in 2 campus universities (Spain and UK). In 2011 while in college listening to a lecture, I just realized: what the hell am I doing here?  (still stuttering, but I had some tricks over the years, to mask it). I started with the idea in 2011 of "Self Consciousness". Took me until 2015 when I became an Atheist until 2016 my first awakening. After my awakening, my voice stuttering simply disappeared forever. 
The main issue in stuttering was being the servant of all, I saw myself as the good Samaritan and having lungs problems due to the stress in church and some esoteric prophets and saints. So yes, beliefs bring cancer  
I remember saying to myself many times, if I can speak again without stuttering around strangers, then I can be and do anything. I took a verse from the bible in the new testament ("Restraining the Tongue" James 3). So after 10.000 awakenings so far in 2 years and still having every day a dark night of the soul and a new awakening of the 5 senses and clarity of being. I quit my glasses (myopia 13 years), my voice is 1 octave lower and my right knee (injury 2012 powerlifting, "ex: training with 50kg at triceps") and right hip (injury 2006 skiing). 
So all of you out there that are suffering because of extreme social anxiety, and being bullied years about stuttering, being Jesus Freak, wearing glasses, being overweight... etc. This is only a tiny fraction summarizing my pain story. THERE IS HOPE! 
 
Feel free to ask any question and share your thoughts and stories.
 
 
Thank you for reading
 
 

1) Uninstalling games, deleting accounts, selling hardware, and blocking all video game blogs/review websites from your browser works very well.
2) Find some alternative means of relaxation/fun. You need some outlet.
3) If you do end up playing a game, as you play very mindfully observe how it doesn't really feel satisfying. It's always disappointing in some way. Try to really SEE that. That will help break your attachment.
Going cold turkey works pretty well for video games. Just don't expect never to backslide. You will. That's okay. Just keep going cold turkey, and each time you will break a bit more of the attachment until you finally get sick of this whole cycle.

The psychedelics will amplify the suffering inside of you. Your expanded awareness will see all of the unresolved hurt and pain in your body. Right now you are hurt deeply I read, and what is that hurt calling you to do? To feel it. There is no other way Sirius, I wish there was too. Psychedelics will accelerate the healing of this hurt, but you in the end, have still got to feel every last bit of it as the kind loving parent you always wanted in your life; as the best friend you never had; as your caring, thoughtful companion you want to be for yourself. So whenever pain arises, whenever hurt arises, whenever judgement of that hurt arises, whenever fear arises, whenever sadness arises please sit in a comfortable place (in your blankets in bed), place your hand on your heart and place your awareness on the location you feel the emotion. In time you will heal every hurt inside of yourself until you become an enlightened master, who is unconditionally loving to himself.
As Matt Kahn has said, "You may be done with Sadness, but it's not done with you".
I've have written this mantra for you Sirius to read out loud, as your first step in honoring your emotions, hold your heart my dear:
I accept that: There is no way out of pain, there is no way out of judgement, there is no way out of hurt, there is no way out of fear, there is no way out of sadness, there is no way out of neglect.
There is no way out of the present moment, only a choice to identify with the content or observe it benevolently.
There is no way out of feeling my heart, there is no way out of respecting every emotion as it is, only a choice to identify with the emotion or be the parent that holds it; do what feels right. There is no way out of here, yet so many people I see want to be anywhere but here. Even their effort to get out of here is arising in the present moment. There is no way out of this pain. There is no shortcut to get out of here, because there is no way out.
Loving my heart is how I can bear to be in this present moment even in pain. Loving my heart is not the way out of here too. It is a way so far deep into here that you become the present moment, and suffer in pain no more, until it arises again. There is no way to stop this moment from arising whatever emotion it wants, whatever person it wants, or whatever thought it wants. That's why there is no way out, period. An open heart makes you see this moment through love, an open mind makes you see this moment through the eyes of God. May we rest peacefully in accepting this. Amen.
You may rest now. Have a nap maybe A warm cup of hot chocolate, and just know I'm here for you as a reflection of how much you will be there for yourself. Out of love, my guides brought me back here to post this, and they know that you deserve more love. They are saying that you don't need to analyse anything, you don't need to change anything, just love the one who is suffering by feeling your pain in the warmth of a pillow fort or blankets or your favorite chair. We love you so much <3

My approach is that the river of life itself is going towards the ocean; you just float with it. Wherever it takes you is your home. And while you are floating with the river, you can enjoy the sun, the trees on the bank, the birds and their song, the stars in the night, and the moon. The whole existence - all is available to you because your whole energy is open, is not engaged, is free.
Just follow the watercourse way. Be relaxed, and allow life to take you wherever it is going. Don’t be bothered that it should reach some specific goal; it has no specific goal. Just go on dancing with the river, singing with the river. You have made it a battlefield, fighting with the river, and then you are in trouble. You will never win, and you will never be able to enjoy a single moment, because every particle of your energy has to be put into fighting. Don’t fight life. But all the religions have been teaching you to fight life, to be anti-life. And they have created a poor humanity, which has forgotten to laugh, forgotten to dance, forgotten to sing; a humanity which knows only one thing: to fight. Stop fighting. Every river reaches the ocean - and without any map, without any guidebook, without any guru. It is in the very nature of the river that it goes on flowing, and because it is not going upwards, there is no struggle. It is going downwards, so wherever it finds a lower level, it moves in that direction - and the ocean is at the lowest point, so no river can miss the ocean. The ocean is your goal; the ocean IS God. If you allow yourself to be taken by life without fight, you will reach God - nothing can be a hindrance or a barrier to you. So if you feel that it has become a battle, nobody else is responsible except you. And it is in your hands to change your direction within a moment. Don’t fight.and to be defeated by life is not a defeat; it is our life: to be defeated by it is our victory. The moment you start understanding this strange statement - that to be defeated by life is our victory - you have found the very secret of all success, of all blessings
Osho.-


 

@SuchIsLife
I got this from Jason Capital. I don't always use it but when I do, it works well.
Split your note taking paper into to columns. Label one column "insights" and the other "action steps".
Whenever you read something that you like and sticks out, put it down in the "insights" column. And then IMMEDIATELY write an action step for how you will implement that insight in the "action steps" column.
Pretty simple, but it forces you to think action and not just theory. Very useful.

"Slow and steady wins the race." This age old saying is true, especially when we found our life purpose. Do something little by little, step by step every day. It doesn't matter how little; it will slowly add up. Of course, if you could do more, that's great, but do something. Plan something. 
Now that the holidays are here. It's time to take time off of work and do this -- our life purpose. Now is some free time. Of course, even when the holidays are over, plan something everyday.

Keep it up. Keep up the good work. Otherwise...

People don't appreciate the placebo effect it's like "oh probably just the placebo effect" but the fact that your beliefs can heal your body is profound af and should be a cause of celebration.
A meditation practice will enhance every last one of your placebo effects. Your beliefs create reality anyways so really it's all just one big placebo/nocebo effect 

Yeah, the problem with depression is that it's a giant self-fulfilling prophecy that robs you of the VERY mental resources you need to pull yourself out of it.
So in practice, I would say if you got really bad depression, you need to find someone to help you who is willing to meet you at your level.
One thing they taught us in life coach training is the following principle:
If a person is at victim-level thinking and you give him a kick in the ass, he will only become a bigger victim. << they need a very gentle hand-holding approach.
If a person is at fighter-level thinking and you give him a kick in the ass, he will mobilize and self-correct.
So total victims need lots of support and encouragement.
I think you could teach mindfulness-type practices to depressed people, but you'd have to do it in a very supportive environment. You can't just tell them something like: "You are causing all your own problems and it's all in your head." While that's technically true, they are too weak to do anything with it.
Btw, I've tried motivating victims through tough-talk and brutal truth, and my results have been mixed. A lot of times they just get upset and freaked out because I failed to meet them at their level. Case-in-point my early video on depression called; Why Am I Depressed? Which gets a lot of downvotes even though it technically answers the question head-on.
Another important thing I discovered about depression is that it is a super ambiguous word.
Some people say they are depressed when their favorite video game didn't come out on time. Some people are depressed because their entire family was killed in a car crash. Some people are depressed because they eat a terrible diet for YEARS and never exercise Some people are depressed because they have been lying to their spouse about cheating on them. Some people are depressed because they only made $5 million dollars this year instead of $10 million. Some people are depressed because they read too much existentialist philosophy in college. Some people are depressed because they are addicted to alcohol. HUGE difference between all of the above! Yet we tend to call all these cases "depression" and generally try to solve them with the same remedy.

@PernaniJust one guy’s testimony, but if you’re ‘doubting it even works’, then you haven’t actually done it yet. I painted a couple walls with chalk paint, where I exercise & meditate. The exercise (and earbuds turned up to 11) inspire action & expansion, so I get it all laid out and planned effortlessly on a wall (business ideas, projections, etc). Tons of space compared to a dry erase board or computer screen. After meditation, I write insights, about how to go about some things I’m into, etc, on the other wall. I also have a section for manifesting, usually 5 - 10 things I want to come into my life. When they do, I erase them and write new ones. Been doing this for about 2 years and it changed ‘my’ life, and ‘reality’. Doing ten times what I ever was without effort. That all started from trying affirmations and ‘getting it’, that how I perceive & interpret...