When can I stop with the theory and focus on the practices for good?

[Ampresus]

I know this question might be a little too obvious. Of course you can always start with the practices and don’t get me wrong, I have already done with some. But my question really means: When can I stop with all the theory and focus on the practice for the next 40 years of my life?

I know you are supposed to learn your entire life and that is why I just got into books (I already read 9 books in the last 2.5 months) but I wonder when all the learning with theory can stop.

I can recall a time where Leo said: “At some point you will have to stop with the theory and only focus on the practice, because that is the most important thing in this work. I personally struggle with this sometimes because I love philosophy.”

Now exactly after how much theory am I done with that for good? 1000 books? 5000 different meditation techniques? 30 videos from Leo? 

Any clarification about this is highly wanted.

Take care.

[Joseph Maynor]

Leo did a good video on this subject.

 

[EternalForest]

Theory and practice are equally important, they must be done together. Once you've experienced enough to the point where you feel you could write a book yourself, then I'd say you could lay off the theory just a bit. But never stop completely, always have a curiosity for knowledge about you, it's one of most rewarding things you can have in life! But at the same time, recognize when its time for the rubber to meet the road.

[Angelite]

What have you learned from those 9 books? 

It's weird that you didn't feel like you're getting anything out of those 9 books, or that it didn't inspire you to do something. Hmmm......?

 

Did you read just for the sake of reading? Or to find answers? 

Edited December 17, 2018 by Angelite

[Michael569]

What are you trying to accomplish? What does "practice" imply for you?

[Matt8800]

6 hours ago, Ampresus said:

I know this question might be a little too obvious. Of course you can always start with the practices and don’t get me wrong, I have already done with some. But my question really means: When can I stop with all the theory and focus on the practice for the next 40 years of my life?

I know you are supposed to learn your entire life and that is why I just got into books (I already read 9 books in the last 2.5 months) but I wonder when all the learning with theory can stop.

I can recall a time where Leo said: “At some point you will have to stop with the theory and only focus on the practice, because that is the most important thing in this work. I personally struggle with this sometimes because I love philosophy.”

Now exactly after how much theory am I done with that for good? 1000 books? 5000 different meditation techniques? 30 videos from Leo? 

Any clarification about this is highly wanted.

Take care.

@Ampresus There is only one place you can practice your integration - in the present moment. When people have a hard time integrating, its usually because they are not living in the present moment.

[Rilles]

When youre dead.

[karkaore]

@Ampresus  This will never end. Because remember, your life is your ego. There will always be something you desire.

[Sahil Pandit]

@Ampresus You're at a crucial stage. Try to experiment with taking a few weeks off of theory and see how that goes.

It'll really expose you to the work, because you will have nothing else to do.

Man, theory is so juicy though... 

[lmfao]

@Ampresus

10 hours ago, Ampresus said:

When can I stop with all the theory and focus on the practice for the next 40 years of my life?

Because I have not reached this potentially existing point where I need no further theory whatsoever for the rest of my life I cannot answer your question. But I'm not sure why you would be so focused on this question and why you are not solely focused on what you should be doing right now. Things change in life, planning ahead 40 years is pointless. Just wonder what you should be doing in a much smaller time frame in the future. 

Like as I am right now, I feel like I've done too much thinking and mental masturbation in my life that for now and for the foreseeable future I'm done with taking in non-duality theory. Theory helps to a degree but you MUST practice. I don't think I'm done with theory forever, but as of right now I am done with it because I can sense it is the right move for me. So if you're deciding whether to take in more theory or only just practice for the next few weeks/months/years, the answer should be clear to you deep down. 

[Ampresus]

On 17-12-2018 at 1:21 PM, Angelite said:

What have you learned from those 9 books? 

It's weird that you didn't feel like you're getting anything out of those 9 books, or that it didn't inspire you to do something. Hmmm......?

 

Did you read just for the sake of reading? Or to find answers? 

@Angelite I think I cleary said that I am already doing some practice. So of course I got something out of these 9 books. The question is: when is it enough theory? When can I fully focus on practice?

[Ampresus]

On 17-12-2018 at 1:28 PM, Michael569 said:

What are you trying to accomplish? What does "practice" imply for you?

@Michael569 Wherever the hell it takes me. If it is enlightenment, I am cool with it. If it is having the self-actualized life, I am cool with it. I just don't find theory as juicy as most people here. I think it is a waste of time to do too much theory. Practice is so much more fun (atleast in my opinion). I like to do stuff and be. I don't mean reading, trying to understand, trying to compare it with different things and then doing practice. If there is so much garbage theory already out there, when do you have enough of it?

[Ampresus]

@Sahil Pandit Look I know the importance of theory and how I should get as much as possible while I am still young. Many times people tell me that I am at a crucial stage where I have to learn as much as possible and that right now is my time to read as many books as possible. They say that later in my life I won't have as much time to do personal development as right now. My question is: When do you have enough theory and can do practice alone for eternity? Are there maybe requirements to reach this stage of development (like already being fully self-actualized or being fully stage Turquoise)?

[Ampresus]

@lmfao First you wonder why I am focussing on this topic, then you give me advice anyway. Nice going man. I am focussed on this because personally I find all this theory a waste of time. I see it in that way. I try to master theory as quickly as possible and move on to just practicing. Practicing is something I do in the gym, I do in school and want to do here as well. I can remember many times where people said that practice is much more important than becoming deluded in the theory.

[lmfao]

@Ampresus

26 minutes ago, Ampresus said:

@lmfaoI try to master theory as quickly as possible and move on to just practicing. Practicing is something I do in the gym, I do in school and want to do here as well. I can remember many times where people said that practice is much more important than becoming deluded in the theory.

Good

[Joseph Maynor]

There is a Paradox of Theory and No Theory and you gotta work both ends of this paradox.  You wanna maximize the pros and minimize the cons of theory.  Theory can be a nuisance or even a trap when it’s dragged around like a baby blanket.  But at the same time, theory can be the starting point in your next stage of growth or the birth of projects that you envision doing.  Almost every project begins as theory.  So, we don’t wanna be against theory.  But it is true that theory has a tendency to trap people — very similar to a child clinging to a baby blanket.  But see, theory practiced in a linear way has a tendency to stunt people.  So, it’s not either/ or it’s both, and you have to find the right balance in the moment using the paradox of theory and no theory as a tool, and knowing that you gotta work both sides of this paradox.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Angelite]

@Ampresus that question wouldn't arise if you've known what u gotta do

Btw, make sure that your perspective is already broad enough if you decided to stop all the theory, or else u might missed something valuable.

And i'm not just talking about the "theory" & "practice" but other aspect too. There's way too many things to explore when you're young. Dont limit yourself to just that. Have you found your niche/skills of mastery? 14 years old is not too young anymore hahaha jk?. It's not too late, you shoud find one if u haven't already.

But then again, you're not me. So do whatever feels right to you~

[PetarKa]

A insight I heard from Leo which deeply resonates with me and also which seems accurate according to my experience:

The devil's in the details.

This basically means that for questions of this type there will rarely be a ready answer which someone else can give you. It highly depends on your situation, on who you are, how you learn, your habits, your emotional system, your intuition, etc. You can ask someone who knows these things well about you, however I doubt anyone knows these things more than you do.

My points is, you are basically on your own. It's you who must find your way.

This probably isn't the answer you were looking for, but I sincerely feel it's the one which will guide you best.

[ivory]

I lay off the books once I become confused or get myself into analysis paralysis. Now I read books very slowly. Like maybe a couple pages per week. This allows me time to digest what I read and see how it applies to my life. There have been times when I was so confused that I stopped reading for months at a time. The Confusion arises because you don't have enough insight. The more information you have the worse off you are. You have to understand what you read experientially.

[xoxoxwillxoxox]

You never stop doing theory and only practice. It's a constant balance. But there is "wasteful" theory. Arm-chair philosophy type stuff. It's okay to ask yourself: "Am I spending too much time on theory?" BUT spending too much time thinking about whether or not you're spending too much time on theory IS THEORY... so don't get caught up in that. I've been there lol.