VioletFlame

@Preety_India You are very welcome. xx

@Preety_India You are dead on, love. I too am a trauma victim and it is not easy to pick up the scattered pieces of a mess someone else left in your life. I have done years of spiritual and personal development work; therapy, 1-3 hrs of meditation per day, 2+ hrs of yoga per day. This all has done wonders for me in regards to my overall mental health and personal well-being. I am now studying and working towards my life purpose/career path: Music Therapy. I noticed that having a life purpose to lean on really helps to ground you and anchor you as well. I consider myself fortunate in that regard. You seem sweet and kind. So much love to you. ❤️

@Matthew85 Thank you! I hope it was helpful in some way. ?❤️

@hugoalfven Yes exactly. Infinite intelligence. It's all channeling and tapping into a higher source of energy. @charlie cho It actually has a lot to do with physical reality because if you have true integrity, are walking your talk, and are embodying your values, such as practicing consistently, and having direct experience with them, for example, that only materializes (and makes more sense of) the knowledge you hold. Integrity materializes your knowledge. If you are not embodying your values or your knowledge, then your knowledge is left unclear, unexpressed, and also becomes rather stagnant and limited. To enhance your knowledge, live virtuously, and never stop learning. Most of the greatest known composers maintained their humility because they believed they could never stop learning. Knowledge is not only within you, but all around you. So look around you, because it's more connected to physical reality than you may realize. ❤️

Yes, thank you, that makes sense. It's certainly not my area of expertise and I often find that it confuses or unsettles me because it doesn't seem to resemble anything spiritual. They may be opposite, but I do think both parties exhibit signs of bigotry, bias, and dogma. As long as someone has a strict and rigid opinion about something, they will be less impartial and more adamant on supporting their own perspective/belief system and only their own perspective. I've witnessed blatant ideology from both the far-right and the far-left. To the point where I don't even know which one to trust anymore or which one to fit myself into.

Wait, so the ultimate goal is to eradicate Repubs? Please correct me if I'm not following here but this doesn't sound like a healthy or high-conscious transition. It doesn't sound like stage Yellow... Leo, I have a question. I often contemplate just how ideological and bigoted BOTH parties seem to be. Wouldn't stage Yellow avoid to take any particular side and aim to take both parties into consideration? Wouldn't Yellow strive to integrate both sides of the coin? After all, a bird cannot fly with one wing. I'm not much of a politically-inclined person. And today, I often find myself completely flabbergasted by the actions/ideas of both Repubs and Dems. Frankly, neither party seems very high-conscious to me and many of it comes across as blind and lacking true virtue and integrity. We seem to be living and walking with cognitive dissonance. And honestly, to be totally blunt, I think it's all bullshit, a circus show really, and that both are clearly ignorant. Throughout my whole childhood-adolescence, I was literally one of three white kids in the entire school. I was teased for being white. And I even recall some of my non-Caucasian teachers, like adults inappropriately mocking me and pointing out my "whiteness" in front of the whole class. Just throwing backhanded compliments, and subtle remarks which would leave me feeling so uncomfortable in my own skin. So really, this may sound obvious, but I think it's a people problem, not a political party issue. No matter who the minority is, as long as there is a minority, there is going to be discrimination. Because people judge, they can't accept things as they are, and they simply lack deep empathy and emotional intelligence. This is the fundamental core reason why all wars and cultural/sociological problems arise. It helped to stand up for myself, and now some of my most best friends are black, including one that picked on me that time. Lol! Of course, this was yeears ago, but I called her out on her crap once and we actually ended up becoming really close friends. This was probably because although I am sensitive, and can take things to heart, I am also easily capable of laughing at myself.

@Razard86 Hey, thank you so much! So I can totally see what you mean and they are both very similar. Essentially, they share many of the same characteristics. They are not completely separate, but they are relatively distinct. But Machiavellianism does seem to be more complex and nuanced. So Machiavellianism contains characteristics from both psychopathy and narcissism. Specifically from "factor 1 psychopathy" and grandiose narcissism (arrogance, morbid envy, sense of entitlement, etc.) With psychopathy, it has factor 1 and factor 2. With factor 1 psychopathy, we see callousness, impassivity, lack of empathy, manipulativeness, etc. And with factor 2 psychopathy, we see characteristics such as impulsivity, irresponsibility, and even committing crimes. One distinction, for example, is that a Machiavellian tends to be goal-oriented and skillful in strategic long-term planning, which is not a feature shown in narcissism. Also, their goals tend to be regarded as "evil" or immoral; so it usually involves a degree of criminality or cynical, misanthropic, and malevolent thoughts/beliefs/behaviors. Also, they are shown to have higher impulse control than a narcissist or psychopath. A Machiavellian is strong in this area in that they are capable of putting off rewards, which is something narcissists struggle with a lot. Narcissists actually display an attitude of impatience, of wanting all eyes on them, and everything to immediately fall into their laps; they crave immediate attention and instant reward. Another distinction is with fantasy and desire. We see this with both narcissism and Machiavellianism, where someone desires power or status, except narcissists will usually desire fame and excessive admiration; whereas a Machiavellian does not and does not necessarily strive to be the center of attention. They actually prefer to be "in the shadows"; very discreet, sly, and deceptive and prefer to keep their intentions hidden. They value their anonymity more. In other words, with a Machiavellian, there are ulterior motives and very little communication as to why actions are being taken. And when someone is narcissistic, they are usually very clear about their intentions and it appears very obvious; they have difficulty obscuring their tactics. Also, a Machiavellian can appear nice and gregarious, and trusting on the outside, so there is a little more depth to their deceitfulness than with psychopathy and narcissism. And they are very much a part of the business world, and high in conscientiousness, but of course, are not typically attracted to those endeavors for the right reasons. A narcissist, however, can use Machiavellianism as an abusive tactic. And like narcissists, a Machiavellian can also use guilt and deep emotional components as a form of manipulation to gain something. So I guess we can say there are many degrees to narcissism but Machiavellianism is just a more extreme, detailed, or multi-faceted version of it. Overall, the Dark Triad is an intriguing construct and the way I interpret it is that Machiavellianism is like the umbrella, if you will, which seems to encompass elements or aspects of both narcissism and psychopathy. Or you could say narcissism is the umbrella, encompassing aspects of psychopathy and Machiavellianism; whatever floats your boat, really. Essentially, it's all relative and it all boils down to a disregard for morality for personal gain. Machiavellianism also seems to correspond with ruthlessness, cynicism, and extreme Nihilism. Narcissism has some connection to criminality, but not as much as Machiavellianism and psychopathy does. The Dark Triad is sub-clinical so it's not often studied in the mental health realm, but I personally think it should be..?

Hey--great question. I am currently a Music Therapy major and may I just say that simply listening to Bach's music seems to elevate my mood. So I'm no genius, but one thing that helped me write my last album was committing to a deliberate, consistent, steady morning routine. First thing in the morning, (and this is beginning to sound a bit cliché but it does work wonders) I would wake up and make myself do yoga and meditation before working on anything related to my creative project. I basically constructed this as a rule for myself because I knew it produced such better results for me. I felt much more clear-headed, focused, and inspired during the creative process after working on my spiritual practice. And I found that it helped to prevent or defeat any resistance or procrastination, and also helped me to be less critical and more impartial and constructive with my work. Consistency is key. Practice, practice, practice, until it is virtually impossible to make the same mistakes. Keep correcting yourself. Humor yourself; laugh at yourself. Trust me, that is a skill in itself. Embrace and experience the power of catharsis. And just try to stay inspired as much as you can. Inspiration and motivation go hand in hand. It's difficult to have one of those things without the other.

@RendHeaven @Dlavjr waddup. LOL.

Yes! Thank you @Leo Gura

@Leo Gura Exactly. How can one change if they aren't even aware that they are in need of changing? Most narcissists are completely oblivious to their condition, which is one of the reasons why it is so stubborn to treat. Because it all boils down to a willingness for self-improvement, personal growth & development. And lack of awareness only causes more issues, because if the narcissist doesn't stay the same, they'll only get worse. NPD is actually very common and most people are in denial that they have it, or that they at least experience a few of the ten traits/symptoms, which is why most people cannot empathize with a narcissist, because they are in denial of their own mild-severe narcissistic traits/tendencies/characteristics. They cannot understand because they refuse to understand themselves first. But there is a reason why narcissism is so ubiquitous. If one looks at the ten major traits more closely, they'll start to see that most of these traits are actually common responses to deep existential problems/dilemmas that I think most humans experience at some point in their lives. In other words, they're in a sense, and to an extent, admittedly relatable. However, what tends to be less common is the "Dark Triad" (which contains the personality traits of Narcissism, Machiavellianism, & Psychopathy.) Trump is a really good example of the "Dark Triad". I wouldn't go as far to say he fits into "Psychopathy" perse, but a Machiavellian, for example, is someone who, almost obsessively, desires power, status, money, opulence, etc. They seem to disregard morality for their own personal gain. Like narcissism, they also exhibit extreme grandiosity, solipsism, and superficial thinking. Most importantly though, Machiavellianism refers to deception and the quality of being deceptive, conniving, and manipulative to reach one's goals. It is complete and utter callousness and exploitation of others. So if anything, I associate Trump not only with narcissism, but with the whole triad, particularly Machiavellianism. On an end note, my philosophy is that most mental illnesses should be relatable. The goal is to develop and increase our capacity for empathy towards multiple types of individuals, struggling with various mental health issues. The higher our empathy (which is a cognitive skill), the more our perspective expands, especially in regards to human understanding. Empathy increases our ability to see things from multiple perspectives; to fit ourselves in multiple types of shoes, if you will. And I believe that the more we can understand our own palette of emotions and every side/fragment of ourselves, the more we can understand various types of people. We just need to learn how to be more impartial.

I'm in the tiniest state known as Rhode Island I recently came across a friend/fellow classmate of mine on this forum actually! It was the craziest thing. We're both music majors and we've been taking the same classes for the past couple years, this whole time we were using this forum and had no idea! LOL. It would be pretty dope to come across more locals on here though! Anyone here from RI?? Haha

For me it means/conveys clarity. When I think of the word "aware", I think of being actively present and discovering clarity.

Being quiet, mindful, and fully present and noticing all of the life existing around me and recognizing its perfection as it is, even if some things may appear flawed. Try to evoke the feelings of Joy and Inspiration as much as you can. Consciously or intentionally engage in the things which give you the most joy and your God-State will naturally activate. I am a musician/singer/songwriter and personally, I find that playing or creating music transports me to this state almost immediately. Music is such a powerful source of God and a powerful tool for channeling one's God-State. Even just listening, dancing, or singing along to certain music can illuminate you, elevate you, and bring you to a state of total peace, joy, and radical acceptance.

We are practically already attached to our electronic devices. And this is gradually becoming more and more literal. Futuristically speaking, before we know it, we will start seeing people deliberately transforming into machines, for reasons which may seem "obvious" or "rational" to us in the future. Who knows, maybe a device implanted under our skin or in our brain will "cure cancer". However, many other problems could arise from that, increasing our vulnerability to other things. Hell, perhaps it could even increase our risk of some other random disease. It's just a matter of evolution and survival. We are becoming more and more dependent on machines and devices. To the point where we will need them just to function and survive. It's definitely a creepy thing. And virtually everyday I contemplate this and the future of AI, I watch people look down at their screens and I wish I lived in a different time period.

Most of the gems I've found in second hand shops has provided me some of the richest experiences of my life. In Sociology, there is a concept called "conspicuous consumption" which basically explains the consumer practice of ostentatiously purchasing specific "high-quality" goods for the sole purpose of displaying "prestige" or gaining status, reputation, or acceptance in society. This materialistic way of thinking and spending is very common in Western Civilization. We also live in a society which chases instant gratification and temporary thrills. In turn, this of course, disrupts our financial health and personal well-being. For me, a "high-quality" item is one which provides long-lasting joy, meaning, satisfaction, and sufficiency. Personally, I believe used goods provide just as much value, if not more, as new goods do. In a way, there contains a great deal of spiritual value in used goods. There is so much history and energy embedded in a used item. Think of when you touch or hold an antique; you can almost feel the historical energy attached to it. Depending on how powerful its energy is, certain objects can almost heighten your awareness of their consciousness. But to answer your question, I think people are just forgetting to align and integrate their values and understanding of real value with their financial decisions. Surface-level value may refer to how much the thing might cost. But what is that item actually going to do for you and how will it benefit you or improve your life? That's where the true value lies.

@ShardMare First off, good for you for being interested in self-improvement and personal development. You're 17 years old and that's a wonderful age to commence this journey. After reading through this post, one thing which came to mind is that perhaps you are experiencing information overload and bombarding yourself with too much stuff at once which is creating a chaotic energy. Philosophy, for example, is a massive tree with many branches and it can get fairly overwhelming to learn, especially if you eagerly climbed right up to the top of that tree without really looking at its foundation yet, or seeking to find what's beneath that tree; digging up what's underneath... Perhaps you're searching for a topic which can really inspire you. One which you can deeply and intimately connect with but haven't quite found it yet. It sounds like you could use a focal point to help ground you or a topic of interest which you can really sink your feet into. Maybe choose one topic to contemplate or focus on per week. Bury your heart and soul into that topic, and strive to grow familiar with the nuts and bolts of it, and then gradually work your way up to more complex, nuanced aspects of the material which you are studying. This will not only help you develop a deeper, more visceral understanding of the material, but it will also help stabilize your train of thought and ground your concentration so that you will ultimately feel more enriched and fulfilled from the learning experience. Hope this helps!

In my opinion, suicidal contemplation is entirely human. Suicide is fundamentally the deepest human conflict. And I believe most of us, if not all, contemplate this idea at some point in our lives. However, is it the answer or solution? No. Not at all. Depression or suicidal thoughts only appear "crazy" on the outside to those who lack empathy or true understanding for what are actually ancient/universal human emotions. In other words, they are normal to experience or come across in life. It starts to become an issue when these ideas or thoughts become more constant or begin to consume your entire mind or dominate your worldview. But even then, I wouldn't label you as "crazy". If anything, life is pretty crazy if you ask me! Personally, one of the things that's helped me in the past, is to create a safety-toolkit list of all the things which helps you find comfort, peace, and solace. I would focus on the simple, little things. For example, sipping on a hot cup of tea or coffee is something I find much relief and appreciation for whenever I am having a hard time. Taking warm showers or bubble baths is another great one. Listening to calming music, reading something that gives you joy, I have the Tao Te Ching that I often return to when I am feeling low and it always brings me to tears of joy and lifts my spirit back up; it literally gives me life. So if I'm having a rough day and I feel like the life is washed out of me, I will return to the things I know which feed me love & life. ❤️

@Leo Gura I've been reading tarot professionally for over 10 yrs and I must say that most people do not get what it's actually meant to be used for. Unfortunately, you may have come across some quasi-readers. It's hard to find a genuine reader out there. In the New Age community, some people are still stuck on this stereotypical notion that tarot is some fortune-telling game and should be used to "foresee" the future. That's bullshit. And it's a "needy" and shallow way of perceiving it. In fact, Tarot has evolved from that mentality and is now viewed as a self-exploratory tool. It should be used to help you with the present, current issues you may be dealing with or needing to confront. It may reveal certain information which may wake a person up or help them realize what they may be repressing, resisting, or holding onto which they may need to let go of. And it may also reveal messages which will inspire or help a person work towards their future goals. But the future is always changing, so it goes unspoken, and the cards themselves are like a guide to facilitate personal growth. The cards are an illustration of life and it's all based on Jungian Psychology and the Fool's Journey, which represents all of us. Most people who have come to me for a reading, who don't know much about tarot expect me to give them a concrete, "yes" or "no" answer as to whether or not, for example, their relationship will last or if their romantic interest has the same feelings for them. Most people seem to be mainly concerned with their romantic life or financial/career situation rather than the deeper, more spiritual issues. Of course I prefer helping people discover or actualize their passion, deepest interests, or life purpose through tarot rather than having to ever-so-gently explain each time to them that "it's best to work on yourself and focus on you rather than wait around for someone to give you the time of day." But it's rare that people approach me for those reasons. And I have helped clients; returning clients have brought me flowers and made me the most beautiful gifts as a way of thanking me for helping them see something in a new light, or get off their ass and work on their business, etc. This is why I established policies and clarified to my clients from the very start that I am NOT a fortune teller!! I am interested in spiritual counseling and I use the cards to help you interpret what is currently going on and resolve how we can go about fixing those issues. The cards give you clues. It's all about strengthening your intuition. Actually, it's all intuition; and everyone can learn tarot so long as they strengthen that intuitive muscle. So most people don't realize this but tarot is actually a tool for personal development. And personally, I think it's one of the best tools out there for developing self-awareness, introspection, shadow work, etc. And it's personally helped me in so many ways along my journey of self-actualization over the years. There is honestly so much to it but essentially, it's not really meant to be used to investigate the future. People want it to be that way, but that's just another escape from confronting the real current issues their not willing or ready to confront.

As it's good to be your own best friend, sometimes you must also learn to be your own best critic.

@Gianna Aw thank you so much! ❤️

YES.

Lack of intimacy. And I'm not referring to sexual intimacy here but the type of intimacy which looks like sharing, hearing, listening, and seeing another person and truly connecting with other human beings. She may have felt ignored or neglected for some time. Like anyone else, she wants to be seen and heard. She's seeking attention as a cry for help due to lack of true connection with others. It also sounds like she is having a hard time loving and accepting herself as she is. She must practice self-love to the point where she will no longer need external validation or outside approval and strive to build trustworthy, worthwhile connections which will help to build her and support her personal growth.

I saw a clip of JP in tears recently and you could really feel his pain. JP seems to exhibit high cognitive empathy functioning which not a lot of people have. When I watched him, I started to cry myself and turned over to my trusted friend and said "oh no, this time is taking a lot out of him; it's really taking a toll on him." This is due to his heightened sensitivity to societal and global evolutionary marks in history. He is genuinely crying and genuinely upset by the current state of human consciousness, Western Civilization, etc and it is because he has very high empathy. He looks at this generation and the world as a whole, and it kills him to see the collective suffering, angst, dread, or turmoil, to the point of tears. Same thing goes if he is describing something beautiful or profound. He may cry. This is tears of joy..again, caused by high empathy functioning.

@Realms of Wonder I totally hear you dude. That's been my dream since I was little and still is (subconsciously) a fantasy/dream of mine. Especially since I've been performing since I was 11 yrs old. (I was raised into a family of performing musicians!) but unfortunately, I realized that we live in a capitalist society and for now I have to make ends meet and all. But I made a deal with myself that I'd at least like to do that with a big smile on my face--making money doing what I love, and helping people heal. Essentially, I see myself and all Music Therapists as not only leaders, but true healers. And it sounds like so are you! While in school, I still regularly perform and seem to reach people through my music which is always my mission--to reach the audience on some level. I am happy because I am featured in local places and get to perform my original music and touch the hearts & souls of many and many more to come throughout my life and that is more than enough for me. And you know something? It wasn't necessarily easy for me to get to this point. Because I DID have this clinging dream attached to me, weighing on my shoulders, this big desire to gain recognition which seemed so heavy when really I wanted to feel weightless. I wanted to float along and simply play and write music because I LOVE to and it makes me incredibly happy. Without it, I probably would've been long gone a long time ago. But my mission now is to use music as a healing tool for others in the same way it helped me heal and recover from traumatic experiences along my journey. Music opens space for the subconscious to take over, for our emotions to spill out and make sense, and for cathartic release. Fame and fortune is not the destination for me. It's not what I really want in life. It was when I was a kid/teenager, I really wanted to gain recognition since I have been pouring my heart and soul into my music my whole life-- it only is natural to want to share it with the world. But one day I woke up and realized I and You can STILL do that. There are soo many ways to reach people through your music and one does not need fame and fortune to reach people and to make an impact on somebody's life. You could sing or perform a song to a neighbor who seems to be struggling with something and that very act could leave a memorable, inspiring and profound mark on his/her life. You can be a Star, as you are. You can reach to the top, starting now, from where you are; from within. Try to let music intrinsically motivate and inspire you as opposed to only extrinsically inspiring you. Once I realized the true reason why I love music so much, I realized it's not about chasing fame or publicity. It's about connecting with others and making an impact in some way through the music. Whether I excel at that while I'm on stage singing to a large group of people or singing in a clinical setting to one person, I will be content because the musical relationship I develop with each person and each client will be intimate. Not fleeting, but hopefully an experience which is life-changing and mind-altering for the individual. Fun fact: I was actually a high school walk-out because I chose to stay home and play my guitar, sing my heart out, and write music all day. In a nutshell, I never imagined myself to be going to college. But it was the mere discovery of this profession and of my life purpose which motivated me to go because my philosophy is like this; so long as you have a vision and are studying something which is heart-centered and centers around your life purpose, then it's absolutely worth it. If you're willing to put the time in, and if you have the discipline and patience and ambition to reach your end goal. I am actually minoring in Film Score as well. ? So there are many options for you to get your feet into the Music Industry. Practice. Practice. Practice. Until you can practically play with your eyes closed! Keep working on your skill and proficiency and recall your favorite artists and most influential musicians/leaders and consider them to be your distant mentors. Keep them in mind and heart. Learn as much as you can from them and their music. Gain inspiration as much as you can. ?