VioletFlame

@Gligorije Amazing! Happy for you.

@Baotrader Yay! ❤️ I'm so happy to hear you're back. You are a Lion, brother ❤️

I respect this. Do you suspect that the constant longing/seeking for Enlightenment could turn slightly solipsistic or egocentric for some which is an obvious distraction? Because there's that level of attachment I think there where you're having that fixated, almost perfectionist approach on something that could be holding you back? I think there are many traps to Enlightenment though, which is just part of its intriguing journey. I've noticed this egoic superficial distraction within the New Age community alone, just people who claim they're "Enlightened" but they are missing obvious elements, one being that they are walking around talking & bragging about it. Two being that it's some sort of fashion, some suddenly wearing turbans, even though they're white as hell (cultural appropriation much? Is this the new trend?) I don't know man, I think they do this out loud because it gives them some sort of unique identity, and puts them in a content superior place, I mean people are a tad intimidated by them when they speak and people will listen to what they have to say or believe what they have to say, or even follow them blindly, even if they're speaking in tongues. And I think it's safe to say their collection of knowledge is clearly governed by plagiarized "Buddhist" social media platitudes.

@Leo Gura I don't want to go into another sad-Blue-dad story but this is him all over. He's lived in his mother's basement his whole life pretty much and growing up around him, now in my adulthood and watching him waste his life in fear, delusion & political ideology hurts me. His only salvation is defending this "precious" country and venting/lamenting/emotionally gallivanting, even hitting it off with Alex Jones. He doesn't recognize the tremendous amount of school attacks that went down in this past year alone within this country, in which all were committed by caucasians. If you're outside this country, everyone else are terrorists but if you ask me, his own mind is the terrorist. I think the closest he currently is to God is the documentations of UFOs. I wish there was something I could do to help him, so I don't have to witness him grow into an old cynical man with not a shimmer of love & peace. But it's not too easy to even communicate or get a word in with a rigid right-winged, dogmatic thinker, neither is it easy to express your separate opinions, let alone help or convince them to take a few deep breaths, read a book on Taoism or watch a Leo video. I'm not out to control or dictate his rigid belief systems, I'm aware this isn't for everyone if it doesn't interest them first, but all he does is curse, complain & flirt with despair and sometimes I just wish he wasn't so ignorant to the ultimate answers in which he seeks (eg;finding peace,ending suffering) that are right there in front of him if he just looked, they just keep aimlessly swimming around his vision, like flies.

@Gligorije Hey I would also look into the concept of automatic writing, it's an interesting form of meditation where you are exercising your intuition. You simply clear your head, breathe deeply, get in the zone and open your mind to any insights, ideas, information or even illustrations that come to you straight away, then you contemplate them and let your pen & hand begin to almost unstoppably channel them onto paper. This is you as the recipient of your higher self, this is the conduit for higher wisdom. When you are in this trance, there is no ego but there is only the flow in which you are in. When you read back to reflect upon what you've written later on, you will often be surprised to receive such deep & profound things you would never have expected or ever intended on writing/seeing. This is why it may seem extra-terrestrial or otherworldly, but you're just tapping into deep levels of consciousness. Writing is highly expressive and therapeutic which is why there were Beatniks and children pouring their souls out into diaries, and now there is writing therapy and creative journaling for healing/overcoming barriers, and so much more. It's been documenting & recording the realm of human imagination and existential wonderment for centuries. The concept of using writing as a form of meditation is actually quite primitive and natural and it's not rocket science. It's not having a superpower or supernatural ability that only limited people can attain either, it's just the natural process of writing. It's been effortlessly achieved by many philosophers/innovators/physicists/prophets/gurus for centuries and it has helped many people attain Enlightenment but everyone technically has these skills or these "psychic abilities" since we all have intuition, so it can be achieved by anyone it just depends on how conscious you are of it. It's all about tapping into your own intuitive, soul self and higher states of consciousness through radical relaxation and lack of force.

@universe Exactly!! I love it, especially the racecar analogy, hence why life purpose gives "drive" To have a mission in life is to get out of bed in the morning. It's to wake up everyday feeling inspired and ready to experience the endless possibilities, and it keeps you motivated. When you are following your calling, you are not only giving to yourself but also giving to the world because you're doing it from a total place of heart, out of genuine love & authenticity. I think spirituality is directly related to having a life passion/mission/purpose.

@Mikael89 Quantum suicide..this reminds me of this one mechanism I would use in the past when I had these thoughts as a teenager, I would ask myself what if I took my life now only to return and have to start the whole series, every phase, every moment, all over again? Precisely like when you die in a video game and have to return to the first level. This theory would often stop these thoughts for me because I couldn't even bear to think about going through the same pain over & over again. At this point in my life I have come to Love even those things that were once painful and hard to grip for they have only brought me to this path I am on now. I have learned so much from turmoil & traumatic experience that there's no reason at all not to love it or appreciate it for it was a true experience that only ultimately helped me see the beauty of God that lies in everything.

The whole movement of life seems evanescent in its nature since everything is constantly changing. I think recognizing the impermanence in everything and recognizing the inescapable helps one lovingly embrace what comes and what goes.

@pluto I love everything you said, and about how these things mimic nature, spot on. I read Tarot professionally in a few places, I am an intuitive reader and I read with a therapeutic intention for spiritual growth and transpersonal development. I have recently read for a wonderful woman who spoke on Ted Talks, she came to me in a place of sadness and worry and it was a beautiful meeting, we were able to resolve many things that were holding her back, and I was so happy to help her and see her walk out feeling restored, uplifted & rejuvenated. So like most readers, I lean on crystals to charge my deck and especially during my readings to amplify messages and to shield from the frequencies that could potentially disturb or interrupt the intuitive insights I am receiving for that person and the overall energy of the room we are exchanging this spiritual connection in, I always find it makes a drastic difference. You don't need a whole gypsy smorgasbord of objects & tools, you can remain minimalist and choose the ones that connect with your energy the most, this is what I prefer to do.

@Elysian Exactly!! That is an amazing story, it's so awesome how you picked up on that! ❤️ I have one hematite piece which presents a shadowyy type figure (my reflection) when looking into it, I will use this for shadow work of course and it can get very intense, just meditating on the stone for a certain amount of time and using this as a path-working technique causes all sorts of messages to crawl from beneath the surface. Believe it or not, mini disco balls can also be used as a fantastic (eccentric) shadow work meditation technique! I like to call this discoballmancy.

@Butters When these thoughts arise, it's not always the best idea to ignore them. It's actually good to immediately acknowledge these sensations if they are trying to get you to see something for a reason, this is part of self-reflection. However, it's best not to identify with them or attach to them because you want to keep flowing. You want to learn to notice them, and immediately let them go. If I get a thought that doesn't serve my meditation, or if it has nothing to do with the experience I will acknowledge it for a brief second and then release it with my breath. When things come up and excite you, try to just keep using your deep breath as an anchor and breathe into that sensation. Try to experience what is happening without judging what comes up and simply accept what comes up, then let it go. It always reminded me of a series of waves. You don't want to swim directly towards them but you don't want to swim away from them either because then you won't get the full experience of swimming with that wave, with the current. You want to float and find your own rhythm. I find this is the best way to avoid the riptides. If you want to learn to swim you must begin at shore and gradually make you're way into the deep end. ;-)

@Mafortu Beautiful.

Please don't drop anchor here, please trust me this is not the way. I totally feel what you're going through I really do kid I've been there and it was one of the hardest things I had to go through in life but ultimately it had led me to a realization that it was only the true beginning. This is where spirituality comes in and is your ally, is your guardian, is your compass. This is where your wings will grow even more and you will thrive as a star in the night, and fly with the shooting stars.There's so much beauty & wonderful experience that is still on it's way to you and that is within you. So much transformation. I know the future might seem hopeless or unimaginable at the moment but try to trust it like the moon trusts the sun. You are so beautiful and there is so much beautiful power within you, there is so much magic within you. What makes your heart sing? What is one thing you truly love about life and love learning about life that speaks to you, that calls to you and makes you come back for more? Really think about this. That one little thing can save your soul. You can channel this pain in ways that can heal you. I don't care what it is whether you have to scream your fucking head off into a cushion (this actually really helps) cry your face red, kick, curl, scream, melt just let this thing fucking out like you're exorcising something, but not on your whole life you have so much ahead of you honey ❤️ and write, please don't hesitate to write me and to the rest of us on this forum, we are here to help you. ❤️ You are strength, you are Warrior. ❤️

Here's the Buddha Teas I mentioned.

Any activated flow state you are experiencing in which you are totally captivated and dissolved in the present is worth your time. ❤️ Any type of creative expression that is coming from a place of passion, heart and soul, is a strength within you in which totally sparks you and motivates you, this is illumination, this is your inner fire and your inner voice which is calling to you and giving you breath and total life & vitality. You are connecting with the flow of your own energy and higher states of consciousness. There is a synergistic feeling of being lost & found, it is a sacred place where there is no longer a "you" or an ego but just total active consciousness, presence and energy. You aren't thinking about the past or worried about the future, you are just being and surrendering to the energy of the moment. We've all experienced this especially as children, through inspiration and dreams and divine curiosity, except I think many people lose their passions or drive in life through social conditioning and being brought up in schools/environments to think active imagination isn't vital and that infantilizes and devalues the very things we are born to cherish and pursue that keep us alive, fresh, and inspired, I think we forget how important these states are.

@Orcoda Yes! This is probably the most basic significant and effective method, as I mentioned chakra cleansing/body scanning as well and giving yourself a color bath. This is the beautiful act of purifying your own energy and all your surroundings. It's so simple, but so powerful. I sometimes like to visualize the light around me to resemble northern lights or galaxies, circling and dancing all around me. Visualizing simple radiant shimmering white/golden light encompassing you and fulfilling your entire body, every crevice of your being, visualizing it traveling from your feet through your legs and arms into your crown, and pouring from your heart & soul, and you will feel illuminated and overwhelmed by the unfathomable magic of love. These objects are just optional to use during these practices as a way of enhancing the experiences. Sage is mainly used for spiritual protection and intuition, it can simply guide one into that essence and intention of purification & ritual.

@ZZZZ Yes, I have noticed this as well but that's only because they're falling into a trap towards a rigid style of thinking but it all depends on what works best for you, these methods have been around for thousands of years and to this day because they've always worked for many people/practitioners, but it's not for everyone. I was just sharing some basic traditional knowledge in case it would resonate with someone. Using these tools are kind of like when some people prefer to use mantras to connect with tuning in, it's similar to when one tune's their instrument before playing it.

It's not something that has to be understood. It's not something that is imperative or even needed, it's just something to experiment with if it interests the person and if you're interested in Ancient Egypt and the use of talismans, the history of chakras, reiki, aromatherapy, and many other spiritual traditions. They're simply used symbolically as tools and ingredients to help enhance spiritual/mystical practices but these things don't have to be distractions, or ornaments, it's simply something to look into if it naturally resonates with you or inspires and energizes your path, that's the most important thing.

@pluto Yes, yes! @theheroCrystals (I would look into the basic ones first for protection and healing & clearing such as rose quartz, clear quartz, amethyst, citrine, selenite, etc) There's hundreds of various kinds out there for diverse spiritual purposes especially for cleansing/charging rooms. Most of the time I'll hold two comfy crystals in each hand during meditation, which is great because during the entire time the powerful frequencies within each crystal are traveling to you. Black Tourmaline is another great one for spiritual protection and for people who are sensitive to energies/emotions as well as electromagnetic fields; technology and WiFi, etc. Also, I recommend doing some chakra cleanses. These are very powerful and I find can really help ground & "shield" you from any negative belief patterns or thoughts that are holding you back and aren't serving you. Much of the time they are caused by the mind, so this practice disables them from getting attached to you or controlling you and release you from internal/external conflict. I find that it's just all about how you perceive them and handle them in your own way that works for you and is for your highest good, then they start to disappear. You are the power. You are a kaleidoscopic lighthouse.

The most common used herb for purifying/removing negative energies or vibrations that are lingering in a room, place or atmosphere is sage which is immediately effective but I also recommend palo santo (sacred wood), one I use frequently. The process is known as "smudging" or clearing negative energy. It's been used for centuries for medicinal purposes and within countless spiritual practices/alternative therapies within mysticism, Shamanism, Hinduism, Celtic Druidism/Paganism in Ancient Greece..in cemeteries..the list goes on and on. Sage is the ultimate scent of thousands of years of ceremony, ritual and sacred healing. It is Latin for "salvia" meaning "To Heal" When people fight or cause energetic dysfunction within a place/household for instance, causing emotions like depression/anxiety/fatigue/fear.. this is imagined to linger and trail in the air, or crawl and nest into the walls & floors, so to speak. If you have any natural empathy or are "clairsentient" and rather sensitive or intuitive to the emotions/vibrations within a place or area like I am, to people's negative or offsetting vibrations, it is quite useful to look into herbal remedies to clear your sacred space. They are modern and easy enough to find if you're just stumbling into the New Age realm but this is all ancient wisdom and these are all ancient remedies to appreciate. Start with an open loving heart, with the intention of purifying and ridding yourself from this unwanted energy and letting love in. You can say loving affirmations of protection & peace or speak poems/quotes/phrases that resonate with you that relate to this feeling of peace, or you can say nothing at all and simply get into a deeply relaxed state of mind first, begin walking around the house and running the smoke along every corner and crevice of each room, visualizing the negative energy being released and removed. You can open the windows as well, and imagine the smoke collecting what is left in the air and sending it off into the distant nowhere. There's many ways you can imagine it though, it's all up to you, whatever floats your spacegoat. ❤️ Self-saging & cleansing you aura is another beneficial & ritualistic practice that is very healing and can feel quite beautiful and ethereal. You can imagine yourself being showered & surrounded with loving energetic mist, embodying it. For me, I find that it always helps clear mind & ground before entering a deep state of meditation. Kind of like a gesture of entering the ritual. You can pretty much "sage" anything your heart desires though, often times you'll catch me wandering around with a wee mini travel sized sage bundle in my pocket, I have found this was a wise decision. Hope this helps!

@Leo Gura We sell Teavana Matcha Tea in this metaphysical store I work in called Spectrum India Also these funky chakra Buddha Teas, they're very good.

@aurum Thank you ?

@Angelite Thank you so much. ❤️

@Leo Gura So much of what you just said resonated with me so much. Thank you. ❤️

There's so much to say about this topic. ❤️ Suicidal thoughts and suffering was a huge part of my life growing up so I have a good amount of experience with it to the point of adoring it just as much as the "good stuff." For a long time I had a natural, intrinsic curiosity for pain and suffering and how it corresponds to empathy, and how it can help someone gain their empathy and emotional connection to the world. The more pain, hardship, and turmoil one goes through, the more likely they are to feel empathy towards others because now they can actually say they had direct experience with pain themselves, therefore it is to be deeply felt & understood and even appreciated. When I was 14 years old, I attempted suicide and eventually was led to the hospital because of it. The reason why was because I was dealing with so much internal adversity and struggle for a very long time, and once I hit my teens and discovered/fully grasped that what I went through as a child was completely inhumane and wrong, it was difficult for me to handle this massive awakening alone at this age. And it was indeed a massive awakening. However, I always felt like feeling, releasing and surrendering to my pain in numerous ways was extremely liberating and even then I embraced the pain I was going through. This whole experience was one of the most significant experiences of my life. It is a long story so I won't go too far but being at such an age, being hospitalized, diving into the domain of psychology right before my eyes, it all helped me learn and grow tremendously. Looking back on it now, it was pretty much one of the best moments of my life because not only did I feel so free from the internal battles in which I was dealing with for so long, but everything was finally disclosed and released, I gained wisdom and emotional relief because I had no other choice but to inform my parents/family the things that happened to me. It was painful at first and scary because I didn't want anyone to know what occurred, I didn't want to see them in pain, but in the end it only brought us to the Truth, tackled and captivated the darkness that could no longer be ignored, and granted freedom from an internal cage. Ironically, these suicidal thoughts and ideas and attempts only led me to feeling completely alive again. It was a brand new beginning for me and the start of my whole entire lifelong journey of healing through the craft of spirituality.