From Spiritual Awakening To Depression

[Phocus]

41 minutes ago, Dummy said:

Problem is life is not worth living in this condition, buddy.

One day it will dawn on you too. And you'll go year after year just being sick and tired of life, of struggling, of pain, of prefering death, and with the only thing that keeps you going all this time is the remote possibility of being free of this condition against all odds.

And then you'll be begging for help, and someone will smile at you and tell you your pain doesn't exist and life is wonderful and god loves you.

And guess what you'll be thinking then... "Go fuck yourself you clueless punk", is what you'll be thinking then.

Find yourself another thread to get locked, Socrates. Stay out of this one if you have nothing to say. I'm not interested.

Eckhart Tolle talks about this in his book The Power of Now.  When you reach that point, you're "...one step away from annihilation, and one step away from enlightenment".

This false sense of self that is craving annihilation is what needs to be exposed.  Don't get caught up in the content of the illusion.  It's not a movie.  It's just light flickering on the wall.

Who are you?

[Isle of View]

@Dummy

I hope you'll find the time to actually try out the process I shared here: 
http://www.actualized.org/forum/topic/2997-from-spiritual-awakening-to-depression/?page=2#comment-29719

[Isle of View]

1 minute ago, Dummy said:

Thanks, yes I've already set up a reminder. I assume I'm supposed to be doing it when it actually comes up, though, otherwise it would just be intellectual answers with zero impact?

When I'm not in the throes of it, it's pretty obvious that it's not serving me at all and that the consequences are self-imposed pain and ruined relationships. That's why I brought it up.

OK cool.

If you like you can also PM me if you have any further questions.

 

 

~Chris

[Natasha]

@Dummy What happened to Ayla? Did she leave the forums? 

 

[Isle of View]

@Aladdin

Unfortunatly while you were away from the forum, this thread exploaded into full 3 pages not really connected to your original question.

But you can chime in again and tell more about you.

I asked you some questions here:
http://www.actualized.org/forum/topic/2997-from-spiritual-awakening-to-depression/#comment-29588

Or you can open a new thread.

 

Kind regards, 
Chris

[Isle of View]

1 minute ago, Dummy said:

Didn't mean to hijack this thread. But seems to me it's very much related. 

That's OK. Hopefully you did find some new clues :-)

 

1 minute ago, Dummy said:

Aladdin's "high" came down when he could no longer feed on other people's constant affirmations. Unless I'm missing something...

"Tele-Diagnosis" is not my approach. I like to let people look and find out for themselves.
The questions I ask are only designed to let the person look.

BTW. have you ever tried the Sedona Release Method?

 

~Chris

[Phocus]

 

17 minutes ago, Natasha said:

@Dummy What happened to Ayla? Did she leave the forums? 

 

Am I not an equitable substitute, Natasha?  

[Isle of View]

9 minutes ago, Dummy said:

I've heard of it, but I have no idea what it is.

If it's about releasing emotional energy in the body, then I'm familiar with the principle. Mostly through a dutch teacher who incorporates an approach to this based on Tom Stone's work.

No, it is a set of techniques to help the person let go of what ever it is she is clinging to or resisting.

It's composed of questions that, self-inquiry, help the person in the process of releasing.

It's based on the work of Lester Levenson (author of the book: KEYS TO THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM, Thoughts and Talks on Personal Transformation).

 

Kind regards, 
Chris

[Isle of View]

Here a quote from Lester Levenson, you can very easily decide who is trying to fool you ;-)

 

Quote

That which everyone of us is looking for in this world is exactly the same thing. Every being, even the animals, are looking for it. And what is it that we are all looking for? Happiness with no sorrow! A continuous state of happiness with no taint whatsoever of sorrow. Now, if this be the Goal, why is it the Goal? The reason why it is the Goal is because unlimited happiness is our very basic nature! This is the real natural state, before we encumber it with limitations. Now why is it that most of us do not have this continuous happiness with no sorrow? There's only one reason: being this infinite Being with infinite happiness we do a way with this joy, this happiness, by saying, “I am an individual, separate from the All.” To make myself separate from the All, I must set up a means to accomplish this. The means is my mind that creates my body and the material world.

Then I proceed, creating more and more thoughts that create more and more matter until the thoughts and matter have me so bogged down and blinded that I have lost my real identity as the infinite Beingness that I am.”

The original thought of “I am separate from the All” necessarily creates a lack. Lack creates desire. Desire therefore cannot undo the lack, as lack is not there in the first place, it is not real but assumed. And we go on and on trying to satisfy desire and we never, never succeed. If we could succeed, we would be able to satisfy desire and therefore all desire would disappear!
And then we would be desireless!

The only real purpose of being here on this earth is to learn, or to remember, our original natural state of totality, of complete freedom and no limitation. Once we are led to see that this is our natural state, then we proceed to let go of all the limitations. The prime, the very first limitation is: “I am an individual separate from the All.” Eliminate that and you eliminate all limitation, all trouble, all sickness, all poverty.

To say this in another way is to say: “God is all! Let go and let God be. It is not I but the Father who worketh through me.” We must let go of the ego sense which is the original sense of separation from the All and allow our natural Being just to be and then everything would fall perfectly into line. 

Lester Levenson,

KEYS TO THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM, 
Thoughts and Talks on Personal Transformation

Kind regards, 
Chris

[Natasha]

@Dummy

Ayla had a special way that spoke to you. Sorry I'm lacking in that talent 

 

@Phocus  You are great and much appreciated    

[Natasha]

@Dummy Rejection still hurts.. Old wounds, I guess.

[Isle of View]

19 minutes ago, Dummy said:

I have to add that I'm trying not to drown in endless different teachers and teachings and techniques and approaches.

My goal is not to be happy or to tweak the ego, it's Truth-realization and final liberation.

Of course, I understand.

But it's not about "tweaking the ego", actually it's about letting go of it bit by bit.

Kind regards, 
Chris

 

[Henri]

My God, Aladdin tells his story and now he`s having to read 70 reactions...!  

[ranzo1]

On 4/13/2016 at 9:13 PM, Aladdin said:

hello everyone

Basically from childhood i was a quiet kid and  and from around high school up until college didn't really speak much was kind of lost and really shy . i did not really socialise and only had a few close friends and was isolated and probably seen as a wierd by most people. i started to realize as i was growing up that i was insecure about the way i looked, the reason why i felt insecure was that i was not getting much attention from the opposite sex and was seeing the cool kids picking up girls and talking to them and there was me chatting to a few friends and not being outgoing. i wasnt really into education most of my childhood like from 7th to 11th grade i used to always give up and never really put the effort, i would get good grades sometimes but hardly ever and was quite average on an academic level. i dont want to go really deep into my childhood but i had really bad childhood and horrible memories that i try to forget but sometimes it does creep up in to my mind but i always just attempt to brush them off. when i got  to university i thought of joining the gym to bulk up as i was a really skinny guy and needed to gain some weight as i felt like i needed to improve someway to strengthen my confident and appearance . then i have my family  who are really controlling as i was growing up , i did not feel like i was treated well and mentally i was not in the right place at times.As i was growing up and did not get the love i deserved as a child  and my parents would tell me to get good grades and i just wasn't putting in the effort as a kid and i wasnt a violent kid  however i was actually a really good kid , ive always believed in being well behaved and helping people and staying positive but i was never really getting the help that was needed mainly because ive never really opened up to anyone . 

So i was going through a on and off depressive state most of my life then one day my way of thinking changed i started to forget because i started to socialise in university more and was just distracted by the life of meeting new people then suddenly one day i felt a new me ( i think i was enlightened or awakened) and felt like a new born baby, this was mainly because i was getting the attention and love random people would show me, it was truly a magical experience and ive never felt so powerful in my life i would literally get approached and people would look at me and be like wow youve changed'' you look so different and happy'' etc. so then 8 to 9 months later i hit depression again and it really took a big chunk out me like this time the depression was 10 times worse then ever before, i felt like ive been deprived of true happiness. this really effected my education and had to drop out due to this depression and i just really need to find a solution. i hope someone can give me some advice on finding my self again. 

i do apologize for any spelling mistakes and etc 

Oh man, i just know how are you feeling. Im in similar place now. I was like on steroids, when i started collegde. Read books, listen Elliot Hulse,Actualized.org... Improve in ejucation, i was fearles... And i lost that feeling. I just want to tell you,that, you are not alone in this! You have support. This is my advice:

 1) This is just one step of growing ,you can take it all it one bite. You cant learn guitar for  one short period of time, and it will hurt( pain in fingers is just strong,cant press string ),but beside of that,keep going. And belive. You will learn to play if you have patience .  Every big change ,cant happend in one day,or short period. It was to much for you,to much bright, in your darkness.  

2) Be true to yourself!!

This is really hard for me also. I just fell like i dont know what i want,but deep inside is the answer. Ask yourself,what is the problem. You will know what it is,when you fell resistance. Do things that you are afraid to do. If you are afraid to talk to girls,afraid of socializing,afraid  of  something that is really important to you,do it! Maybe it is scary, but , you will feel deep satisfaction ,when you do that,,beside of that fear,belive me, i talking from my own expirience,and it will not be that scary. Start small. That will bring spark to your life,and you will feel alive again. 

3)Love yourself,help others

Man,you just talking that you were miserable in past. Some people,don't have food to eat,they are really poor, some people are sick, and will die soon, some people don't have family, don't have water to drink. I can understand you,but,you see, you are really ok. You can change things,but most important,change thoughts about life. For every crisis you have, thanks to God. Opportunity to grow stronger. Help somebody else. Do some simple activities, for your friends, or feed hungry kid,or give money someone that need it.  

4) Healthy activities

Train!!! Your body is really important,one of the most important things that you have. 

-Meditation - really helpful,to clear mind.

You can try afirmation,visualisation...

 

This isnt some motivational speak. This look like that. This is from my personal expirience. And,at the end,dont take yourself too serious,talk to yourself i am miserable,im this and that... you are ok. And you have support. Because of your depression you discovered this site,keep that in mind! We find solutions ,if we want.

 

 

[Isle of View]

Very good advices above, @ranzo1

[Isle of View]

13 hours ago, Dummy said:

As for that, to me the marketing is not relevant either way, because it just doesn't tell me much about what they're atually offering. I understand it's just a sales pitch and it generally puts me off. But sometimes the marketing bullshit is just a way to get a foot in the door on society's own terms, like a trojan horse. So I don't really care about the packaging, all I want to know is what's inside.

That's very wise, indeed.

All of the well known "Gurus" have some kind of strategy to attract more people. In the east (see Sadhguru or The Art Of Living Foundation) and in the west alike. There is nothing bad about it at all. They share what they know and they want others to benefit from their knowledge.

The marketing of "Sedona Method" (as the Releasing Technique was marketed after Lester Levenson passed away) is no exception.

The basic premise of the Releasing Technique is this:

You can not let go the thing you are resisting or fighting, because in order to let go, you need to pervade/permeate what is there  -- and you can't pervade it while you're fighting, resisting, clinging, bypassing or running away from it.

The basic technique consists of four simple questions.

You can find it online.

Kind regards, 
Chris

[Isle of View]

43 minutes ago, Dummy said:

@Isle of View Been looking briefly into it and put some videos on my watchlist, but in the meantime I'm wondering, how is Sedona any different from any other teaching or practice or technique out there that says to allow, surrender, question, turn towards, be present, be mindful, etc.?

Instead of focusing on something general, you pick some specific "issue", name it, and cycle through it until you are no longer resisting it, at wich point you can easily let go of it.

The questions are designed in a way to really help you handle specifics and you will find very soon that this technique indeed brings relief.

Here I just googled and found this thread: Link (I'm not associated with the forum, but what they write sounds just like the benefits I had from using the technique)

More than that, there are many other techniques besides the "standard technique".

To really appreciate the difference, you would need to try the technique out for a period of time.

Kind regards, 
Chris

Edited April 15, 2016 by Isle of View

[Isle of View]

2 minutes ago, Dummy said:

FYI looks like you forgot to include the actual link.

Thanks, Link now inserted.

[Natasha]

5 minutes ago, Ant said:

Yeah buddy. What you got here is you trying to get away from this natural thing..it natural to be needy. You best acknowledging this because the way you speak about it sound like superego stuff (hatred of needs). If you try to "deal with this" in the dream then you create big split in you. 

Cognitive dissonance - conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. 

http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/cognitive-dissonance.html

Was wondering how this could be resolved once realized the truth of no-self.  On one hand, knowing 'I' don't exist (non-duality), and on the other, dealing with this very 'real' body-mind construct (duality). Could this split in perception be the reason for so much pain and suffering.

 

[Natasha]

1 hour ago, Ant said:

Yeah buddy. What you got here is you trying to get away from this natural thing..it natural to be needy. You best acknowledging this because the way you speak about it sound like superego stuff (hatred of needs). If you try to "deal with this" in the dream then you create big split in you. 

 

11 minutes ago, Dummy said:

By the way not sure what you mean here by split.

The split that Ant mentioned. Our mind would still have to manage the split between the reality and the dream. Unless one lives in a permanent state of enlightenment, which no one does. Wouldn't that create cognitive dissonance every second of living in this dual reality? The 3 solutions to resolve this conflict/ tension (according to Leon Festinger):

1) reduce the importance of the dissonant beliefs;

2) add more consonant beliefs that outweigh the dissonant beliefs; or

3)  change the dissonant beliefs so that they are no longer inconsistent.

Would Ken Wilber's integral spirituality fall into the first solution (like transcending ego vs ego death, etc)