Becoming a full time yogi

[okulele]

A little bit about me:

I am 22. About 2,5 years ago I had an awakening induced by LSD. That experience made me quit university (I just finnished the first year) and start travelling. I have been traveling and working odd jobs on and off ever since. My prime goal in mind always being to find happiness, freedom, enlightenment. Since the initial awakening I also started studying personal development, Leo's work and started meditating. Slowly I came to the realization that meditation is the key to what I am looking for.

All the time, my parents have been encouraging me to come back and study. I saw the reason in that and decided to study social studies. I like working with people, it would not be bad, I thought. And so until recently I was sure I would start studying in September.

However things have changed. I had a realization. I am not interested in social studies. I am not interested in going to college. I only planned to do it in order to please my parents and above all to insure some kind of security for myself. This would ensure a few more lesiure years with my parents supporting me and a degree, which could get me a regular job. My parents made it clear that if I don't go to college now, I am on my own and have to take care of myself.

Instead I want to fully comit to going inside and discovering consciousness further. That is all that brings me contentment. That is all that interests me. That is what I want to share with the world. In order to do that, I would go live in a yoga ashram and stay there for a year or two. Or who knows how long. That would allow me a supportive environment for my practice, free of distractions and a community of people sharing my goals.

My big concern that keeps coming up is, what will I do when I come back into the world? I will have no proffesion to work in. No money. No buisness. No degree. Literally nothing. I can get enlightened, but I will come back with nothing. How will I survive in the world? That is the big fear. My insecurity.

 

I value all of your opinions and that is why I am writing this post. If you have a perspective on this, please share it with me. Do you think it's a waste of time and resources to go live in an ashram? Do you think that stabilizing myself financially should come first?

[martin_malin]

“I had put in all the hours necessary for the degree; all I had to do was write that goddamn thesis. They wouldn’t let me move into another place to continue my education, so I said to hell with it. I went up to into the woods and spent five years reading. I never got the Ph.D. I learned to live on absolutely nothing. I was free and had no responsibilities. It was marvelous.

It takes courage to do what you want. Other people have a lot of plans for you. Nobody wants you to do what you want to do. They want you to go on their trip, but you can do what you want. I did. I went into the woods and read for five years.” 

-Joseph Campbell

[Elisabeth]

My respect for even contemplating such a path. 

You seem able to take care of yourself now, even if that means doing some manual work. So, likely, you'll still be able to do that when you come back from the ashram. In adition, you'll probably be in a position to build up a business from teaching meditation or yoga if you choose to. So I think you do have some survival skills   Sure, it may suck for a while before you transition from lousy jobs into something closer to your life purpose... as it would if you were to enter the job market now without studying.

The only loss you're incurring is being sponsored by your parents during your studies. And I don't want to minimize that. A college degree still carries some worth (although less so than in the generation of our parents), and it's harder to concentrate on earning one when you have to make money as well. But even that is doable.

Look ... you already know you can survive ... so whats more essential to you thriving? ... committing to the thing you really want to committ to, or being supported through an endeavour you'll have to grind through just as to not loose that support? 

So yeah, sice you seem motivated, I think you should do it. It's a bit hypocritical because I probably wouldn't - but hey, that's because I don't really want to. Practicing yoga and meditation all day still seems somewhat pointless to me. But you seem to want to do it. 

And there will be no better time in your life - certainly not when you get your degree and worry about entry-level jobs. 

[okulele]

@martin_malin All I have to say is -wow. It's like mr. Campbell wrote this just for me to see.

@Elisabeth Thank you for your kind words and encouragment. You are absolutely right. I CAN take care of myself. Survival is not a problem in today's world. And also if I don't follow my bliss now, when will I ever do it? Thank you again.

[aurum]

@okulele

If all you want to do is yoga and meditate, you could easily do that when you came back to the world. Become a yoga teacher or a meditation coach. These are actually in demand professions right now, especially with the rise of mindfulness in the corporate world. And the barrier to entry is almost non-existent.

 

[electroBeam]

@okulele Hey mate, I actually quit my degree literally 2 weeks ago for the same reason as you. I dropped out after 2 years (half way) and will not be going back.

In my experience, if you train with an ashram, the transformation that you will go through will be so revelatory that whatever you choose to do when you come back into society will be of value, no matter what it is. The vision you will develop will be of a level that will allow you to make money and survive.

I have personally trained with a shaman for the last 3 months doing a vision quest, and that experience is what has allowed me to support myself after quitting university. No I didn't get any qualifications, networks, western type of skills, but a vision that has shown me the light to how to survive without getting the status and social rights of the herd.

Meditation and any sort of personal alchemy will permeate through you so strongly that it will continue your survival.

[Prabhaker]

17 hours ago, okulele said:

All the time, my parents have been encouraging me to come back and study.

Making a career and earn money to support your life is easier than becoming a full time yogi and survive on grace of God. 

[okulele]

@aurum @electroBeam That's really encouraging, both of you. Thank you.

@Prabhaker Yeah, I am not sure the easy way is always the right way.

[kateaa]

@okulele You're already doing well. Remember that the path is not easy, it's hard. I can understand what you're going through and you have a lot of courage. So keep doing what feels right to you. Sometimes it can be hard. Remember that we all are still living in the so called collective ego, which we cannot escape from. So if you want to go and stay in ashrams for years, do it. It might be very meaningful for you. The world always has a place for little human haha.. 

I also can relate to what you're going through, cause when I was younger I also thought that I would have a degree and get job and save the world, but I realized that I had to save myself before and then other. I went traveling for a long while and it opened my eyes, but i thought it was time to come back and do some studies, but I quit the university and thought it was just blablabla, I was searching for the real meaning of life. I have asked myself many times why I could not just get a normal degree, be a good citizen , have family and die. I guess we are on a treasurehunt here. 

I sometimes feel the pressure of the society, it tells you to be like this, like that, have this or that. There's the pressure because most of people are still living in the materialistic world, especially with the 1st world. 

Get a degree or learn something is always good if you really find meaning in it and can use it. 

Now I am working on to becoming selfsustain or having my own "job" in the future and do what I love and that I can share that with the community in a sustainable way. Money doesn't matter afterall. I don't know how it is in your country, but in my country people can always apply for a study if they want to change the direction in life. So that's a good thing. 

I have also been thinking of going to stay in ashram or forest temple for sometimes. Which one are you thinking about? there are so many nice places. 

Sometimes there are doubts, but you will always evolve. 

Most of the people are living in fear and never see the light. You have to see the light, live it and free yourself from the illusion. 

Edited July 1, 2018 by kateaa

[okulele]

@kateaa Seems like our paths are very much alike. 

I am planning to go to Sat Yoga Ashram, which is run by Shunyamurti. This will take some finances to actualize. Other options I have are some jungle temples in Thailand I visited and I know I could live for free.

[kateaa]

@okulele I contacted Sat yoga ashram once, but never went. I know the forest temple in thailand. Also i heard that there's one in burma. There you can stay as long as you want to which also allows you to get back to the society. Thinking of going to one maybe in thailand or burma. l

[Slade]

On 6/30/2018 at 1:48 PM, okulele said:

A little bit about me:

I am 22. About 2,5 years ago I had an awakening induced by LSD. That experience made me quit university (I just finnished the first year) and start travelling. I have been traveling and working odd jobs on and off ever since. My prime goal in mind always being to find happiness, freedom, enlightenment. Since the initial awakening I also started studying personal development, Leo's work and started meditating. Slowly I came to the realization that meditation is the key to what I am looking for.

All the time, my parents have been encouraging me to come back and study. I saw the reason in that and decided to study social studies. I like working with people, it would not be bad, I thought. And so until recently I was sure I would start studying in September.

However things have changed. I had a realization. I am not interested in social studies. I am not interested in going to college. I only planned to do it in order to please my parents and above all to insure some kind of security for myself. This would ensure a few more lesiure years with my parents supporting me and a degree, which could get me a regular job. My parents made it clear that if I don't go to college now, I am on my own and have to take care of myself.

Instead I want to fully comit to going inside and discovering consciousness further. That is all that brings me contentment. That is all that interests me. That is what I want to share with the world. In order to do that, I would go live in a yoga ashram and stay there for a year or two. Or who knows how long. That would allow me a supportive environment for my practice, free of distractions and a community of people sharing my goals.

My big concern that keeps coming up is, what will I do when I come back into the world? I will have no proffesion to work in. No money. No buisness. No degree. Literally nothing. I can get enlightened, but I will come back with nothing. How will I survive in the world? That is the big fear. My insecurity.

 

I value all of your opinions and that is why I am writing this post. If you have a perspective on this, please share it with me. Do you think it's a waste of time and resources to go live in an ashram? Do you think that stabilizing myself financially should come first?

Following your heart should come first, regardless of fear

[Solace]

@okulele My family also wants me to study and get a job, whilst I want to meditate and do yoga and just be present in nature. For the next few months I want to meditate for the whole day, thats all; but I know that in my heart my family will male me leave the house before day 2 is over. 

This means I will be going to a zen temple, or ashram to make this big and inspiring change that my heart craves beyond any course at university  I wonder where is the best place to go to? There are a few places in New Zealand but it may be more exciting to go into a foreign country like Thailand and spend a few years there in that culture while doing "hard-core" yoga and meditation. I have realise that a deeper connection to my true self as God is all I want, and a supportive environment with other people doing the same thing would be even more amazing!

I've asked a few spiritual teachers about this and I'll be sure to message you their replies, as I think we are in a very similar situation of choosing Truth over breaking the hearts of those closest to us (like our parents and friends). No doubt if I followed my heart I'd be in a temple right now meditating.

May you you honour your heart more than anything else, and answer the excitement with loving action.

@Leo Gura@pluto We need advice if you have any about this ?

Edited July 4, 2018 by Solace

[pluto]

All answers reside within present moment awareness. If you are not being present and trusting the process of your highest passion/highest excitement you are only creating illusory experiences, distractions and obstacles for self to find freedom. Ultimately there are no right or wrongs but once you find freedom/enlightenment it won't matter where, when, how, what, who you are you will be free in every way shape/form so these questions will not bother you at all as they do now.

With an Enlightened Awareness everything falls into place naturally.

Know thyself, Be thyself. There is no need to complicate it further. 

If you don't trust infinite intelligence to play itself out, you cannot embody its natural flow.

Just Be yourself and follow your heart, everything outside of ourselves is a test we created for ourselves.

Edited July 4, 2018 by pluto

[Solace]

28 minutes ago, pluto said:

everything outside of ourselves is a test we created for ourselves

Are you meaning that we created everything that arises in every single moment? And is this test about surrendering to what we created?

 

[pluto]

3 hours ago, Solace said:

Are you meaning that we created everything that arises in every single moment? And is this test about surrendering to what we created?

 

Ultimately

[okulele]

@kateaa There are countless jungle temples there. I am pretty sure you have a different one in mind than me. Could you share more about the ones you know of?

@Slade Yes, ultimately I think nothjng can stop me from doing that.

@Solace I am always astonished how similar our paths seem to be.

If yoi decide for a zen temple be sure to inquire if you are allowed to practice whatever you like. Most of the temples in Thailand I visited had strict rules about what practices should be done there.

Please share the replies you get 

@pluto Pure gold.

[Mirror of Confusion]

@okulele My path is quite similar. I also had profound shifts after taking LSD where I realized that my current path is not what I really want. I studied social science and I'm working in the social sector since one year. But it doesn't make me happy and my heart pulls me in the direction of Yoga/Meditation and pursuing enlightenment. Sure it's possible to work in a 9 to 5 job while doing this, but in my case I really have to leave this place.

My plan is to go to India in the end of the year. I don't know where to go exactly but there a thousand of ashrams and place for Yogis. Here is a list of some famous ashrams if you consider India aswell: https://www.tripsavvy.com/popular-ashrams-in-india-1539894

 

[Prabhaker]

2 hours ago, Mirror of Confusion said:

My plan is to go to India in the end of the year. I don't know where to go exactly but there a thousand of ashrams and place for Yogis.

There are thousands of people in ashrams for different reasons, but I have never seen a person on the 'path of Yoga' for enlightenment in India. People learn Yoga, people teach Yoga but I haven't met any person who is doing Yoga for enlightenment in my life. Most popular Yoga teacher in India Baba Ramdev is now taking interest in business and politics. Annual turnover of his business is US$1.5 billion.

[okulele]

4 hours ago, Mirror of Confusion said:

@okulele My path is quite similar. I also had profound shifts after taking LSD where I realized that my current path is not what I really want. I studied social science and I'm working in the social sector since one year. But it doesn't make me happy and my heart pulls me in the direction of Yoga/Meditation and pursuing enlightenment. Sure it's possible to work in a 9 to 5 job while doing this, but in my case I really have to leave this place.

My plan is to go to India in the end of the year. I don't know where to go exactly but there a thousand of ashrams and place for Yogis. Here is a list of some famous ashrams if you consider India aswell: https://www.tripsavvy.com/popular-ashrams-in-india-1539894

 

Great, go for it!

I am not really attracted by India, but I have a friend living in Amma's ashram and it's supposedly incredible.