Bill W

@tsuki Thanks In terms of the next few days on this journal, I think I'm going to ride with the humility stuff. I hypothesise that most people on the self development / self actualization / spiritual path would like to consider themselves as sufficiently humble. For me, this is like most people who are asked considering themselves as having above average intelligence (do the math on that! Something ain't right!). I'm not for one second trying to put someone down or in anyway profess to being some kind of skilled diagnostic machine in terms of who is sufficiently humble. I also accept that humility is not at the top or near the top of everyone's self actualization Christmas present wish list. I am not a humble human being. Humility is not my strong point. It can't be. If it was, my emotional sobriety would be stronger. I can explain more about this statement later. God speed one and all. Truth can only move forward. It doesn't know how to move backwards. Can't remember who said that, but it's powerful stuff.

Nice voice

Out of curiosity, If you manage to decide what colour someone is, then what? What's the next step? Inform them they have been assessed as green or red or a mix? If they ask what the hell you talking about you say it's spiral dynamics model?

@Raphael It's a good one. Gets me every time. A high intensity delivery of what humility is! So, in trying to practice humility and know what humility is, I came up with this. Humility Thinking elements You have nothing to prove It’s not all about you You are no better than anyone else Awareness that every person and circumstance is a potential teacher Behavioural elements Being able to apologise Not trying to win an argument just to prove a point Less talking, more listening Making the other person the centre of the conversation Communicating gratitude Communicating forgiveness Questions to ask Am I sure? Am I stepping outside of not-knowing mind? Are my demands out of touch with reality? My communication; is it true? It is timely? Is it helpful?

I await some further details on this! Would love to know more...

@seeking_brilliance Thank you!

I love this. Is the whole book like this? Or in style?

Feeling better for it? Clear cut benefits to nil caffeine for you, or jury still out? Sorry if you've covered this somewhere in the journal.

Yes and the added advantage is that this feedback is given over email rather than in person LOL

So is your caffeine consumption virtually nil now? @tsuki

Go to a dentist or dental hygienist? I'm not sure this is the best place for your question but you never know! I did learn recently from a dentist to use a certain toothbrush, he says it's the best out there. He told me you need a soft brush and that some people brush their teeth with too much force and rigour which damages the gums and the coating of the teeth. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Curaprox-CS5460PACK-Ulta-Soft-Toothbrush/dp/B004W6PAJE

Humility is so important to me. I am not doing great on this right now. I am living too much in "knowing mind" and "entitlement mind". Small acts of humility can go unnoticed, but at the end of the day, all these small acts add up to a feeling of internal satisfaction. A feeling of peace. It enhances my serenity. Humility also greatly facilitates learning and greatly improves your quality of communication and your relationships. I love this. What do you think?

Good stuff Drew. Thanks

Whey protein is good stuff if you have the extra money for it. It wins on convenience as you can add it to things like yogurt and porridge to up your quality protein intake. However, it is marketed to tap in and take advantage financially of people looking to build muscle. All of the benefits from whey can be met by careful selection of real foods. I used to love it for the taste in yoghurt and porridge. It's often virtually sugar free and also low carb if you don't mind the artificial sweeteners which I don't. Is it worth the money? Very debatable. There is only so much protein the body needs, even if you are bulking up and weight training.

At the bear minimum in terms of prayer and meditation, this is how I intend to start and end my day. I've been doing this routine from the script below on and off for a few months, mostly OFF and not doing it. This is insane because I know it works and I know it grounds me. I need to stick with it, then expand it perhaps. So basically, the first 5 minutes is mindfulness meditation. I am seated with eyes closed and I am paying attention to only the sounds around me. It could be the wind moving the leaves around, or the birds chirping away, or the sounds of the traffic. There is always some sound to focus on. When my mind wanders, I bring it back to the sounds. Then I spend the next 10 minutes going through the below. The prayers I verbally read out, the rest, I just slowly read and contemplate (to a degree). Values Humility Open Mindedness Honesty Compassion & Forgiveness Faith & Courage Questions to ask yourself Am I sure? Have I taken something personally? Are my demands realistic? OSHO A law exists. If you follow it, it brings wellness. If you don’t follow it, you get sick. The whole question is of awareness and discipline. Understand the law and be in harmony with it. Don’t be in conflict with it, that’s all. Whenever you are in emotional pain it is an indication that you have gone against the law. Bring awareness to the situation and see where you are in conflict with the law. The law is not punishing you, you are punishing yourself by going against the law. God is not a person, it is a law. Thich Nhat Hanh There is suffering Understand your suffering Know that recovery is possible Follow the path to recovery Thich Nhat Hanh Make the Truth available Practice the Truth Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Father, today, let me be gentle with myself and others. Help me find the balance between assertive action taken in my own best interests, and love for others. Father, make me a channel of thy peace – that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness – that where there is discord, I may bring harmony – that where there is error I may bring truth – that where there is doubt, I may bring faith – that where there is despair, I may bring hope. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. Father, I ask that everything I want for myself to also be given to ………………… I wish them good health, peace of mind and happiness.

Thanks friend ??

That would be some night out.

I swear you and Truth Addict are not human beings and just bots that came with the software package Leo purchased for this forum. Come on man. Who said he was a beginner and what the hell is a normal meditation practice?

My main guides in terms of books are the following; Alcoholics Anonymous (variety of texts) Divine Therapy & Addiction - Thomas Keating Recovery - Russell Brand Letting Go - David R. Hawkins The Buddha Said - OSHO Meditations – Marcus Aurelius Dancing With Life – Phillip Moffitt Jesus Speaking on falling in love with life - Gina Lake The Bible (Good News Bible) The Mastery of Love - Don Miguel Ruiz The Fifth Agreement - Don Miguel Ruiz The Success Principles - Jack Canfield Life Strategies - Dr Phillip C McGraw The Chimp Paradox - Dr Steve Peters Two texts that may well prove to be very important that I haven't started yet are; A Course In Miracles Shadow Dance - David Richo Other authors who will be referenced aside from the above include; Gerald Jampolsky The Happy Buddha Thich Nhat Hanh Rick Hanson Russ Harris Viktor E. Frankl Ruth Field John B. Arden Charles Duhigg

Thank you

Nice post. I needed to hear that. ?

What is frustrating is other human beings. You are getting on nicely, focusing on one thing at a time, and then some bastard starts talking to you and competing for your attention. I yearn for the day when in society it becomes a crime to needlessly disrupt someone's focus and serenity. It's an invasion of consciousness. Assault and battery. Then of course, there is the shit we just do to ourselves. Like an act of self-harm on your effort to become more conscious and mindful. Self-sabotage.

I don't know what the hell that weird clip is about. Looks and sounds like a mixture of Priscilla queen of the dessert, the benny hill show and friday the 13th or Halloween music. Strange as fuck! Yeh I don't really buy into any of this nondual theory and I agree that it's a belief people hold. But for some the word belief is like an insult. Like you are comparing nondual to Santa claus. Regardless, there is enough brilliant self actualization material in general on this forum to keep me really glued to a lot of content.

Maybe you don't need to. Maybe understanding homosexuality just isn't for you. Maybe you are not cut out to understand it. Understanding it might be beyond your capability.

Mark my words; Trump 2020 is a real possibility Come on man, this is like stating "Mark my words; Rainfall in Seattle during 2020 is a real possibility"