Any help.

[Yahya]

Hi people,

I need help from you as I am fifteen years old. I need help because my parents are not allowing me to do personal development materials including listening to Leo videos. My parents think this all stuff I am doing is a waste of time. I am just one year old in these things. My parents don't want me to be interested in self actualization. Please if you guys can give me any advice to handle this issue.

Thank you.

[Yahya]

@John Lula They are against meditation and they don't want me to watch Leo videos so they will not give me access to actualized.org site or YouTube.

[Dan502]

Hi Yahya

I'm sorry to hear your parents aren't supporting your interest in this area. That must be hard. 

Personal development comes in many forms. From reading, to exercising, to how you interact with other people or doing some meditation or breathing exercises while you're sitting on the train for example. In fact, some of the best opportunities to practice wise teachings can take place in very ordinary situations. Maybe you could hand-pick a few of Leo's videos, watch them once at school or the library or something and make notes and then spend more time implementing the teachings than watching more videos. Watching the videos isn't really doing the work anyway.

Family, friends and work colleagues for the most part don't necessarily need to know about every self-help book that you read or video that you watch or that you meditate and they also wouldn't necessarily understand the awareness that goes into responding to certain situations in particular ways. So it can be a personal thing.

It's usually easier to forge and pursue your own path when you're a bit older and more independent. But in the meantime, I wish you well with finding ways to navigate this situation. Ultimately, I hope you are able to follow your heart, without being overly disuaded by what other people think. Even your parents. Although I also hope you don't fall out with anyone over this. Relationships are important. You might need some patience or to lay low in some ways over the next few years.

These are just my thoughts on the matter.

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Dan502

[Leo Gura]

@Yahya Which is why it's good to become independent of parents as soon as possible.

No one can really stop you from self-actualizing. Not even if you're put into a jail cell. In fact, being in a jail cell is a good place to do serious work.

You can go to a library or school and use their computers. You can meditate outdoors in a park or forest. You can contemplate in your room or at a cafe. You can even meditate in the bathroom. Make a hot bath and meditate in it for 1 hr.

You can download all my audios and put them all on one iPod and listen anytime you want while people think you're listening to music.

You can have all the theory you could listen to in 10 lifetimes on a single iPod. Not just my theory, anyone's theory.

I have about 400 GB of theory on my phone and another 5-10 TB on my PC. You can even listen to it in the shower like I do.

[Beeman]

If you believe in it do it. Self actualization is very important but you need to start from zero. such as how to make things work. Be careful not jump to the complex stuff and get mentally ill. Start small and grow in process. Watch Leo video from their chronological order from the older to the new one. Skip some video if couldn't understand put it for later when you grow you will deal with it. I wish Leo make one video about how newbies fall in trap and what catuation should be taken. 

[exhale]

At 15 years of age, you are in stage where you are in an inevitably friction-inducing relationship with your parents as you are simultaneously gaining independence, but your parents are still doing their best to guide you to develop and mature.  This is a normal and necessary stage of human development.  

I would recommend that you take some time and consider it from your parent's point of view.  You do not need to agree with your parents, but try to understand from your parent's point of view.  If they google "actualized.org", some of the first things that come up will be: 

- Hallucinogenic and neuroactive drugs

- Leo might be on the path of developing a cult

I will keep my personal opinions on those points to myself at this time, but If this was what I found when "researching" something my kids were interested in, I would be very concerned as well.  

I may be wrong, but it is probable that your parents are more concerned regarding about the above two points more than they are about meditation or contemplation.  Or they are concerned regarding some quality/characteristic that you have demonstrated (but aren't aware of) like hyperidealization of Leo's teachings, infatuation with Leo (or other teachers), overprioritization over schoolwork, etc.  

I echo what Leo said.  Actualized.org is a tool in the toolbox for actualization.  It is mostly helpful, but not necessary, in many cases it actually becomes a distraction or a facade compared to true growth.  I'm sure that when you posted this message you were frustrated, but this challenge might be the perfect obstacle you need to take the next step in actualization.  Try not to react to the frustration with your parents, exercise your ability to understand their perspective.  This would be stage yellow (in my opinion).  There is power and wisdom in understanding the system of family dynamics. 

With the hopes that your parents aren't uncompromising, suggest that you guys watch a video together and talk about it.