Bill W

@Aaron p Okay, I was probably taking things too literal in terms of the universe. You are so right about not taking what others say as an absolute truth. You for example say "As soon as you get enlightened the entire universe ceases to exist my man". You have experienced this or have heard it from others and it makes sense to you? Man I love the Bible, but I am new to the Bible and new to the forum as you will painfully be aware of here

@Yannik looks good. Is it possible for me to get 7 days access please?

@Aaron p Thanks for your post. I especially liked the reference to the Bible. I am new to the Bible and finding it a great source of inspiration. What do you mean about the entire universe will be destroyed? That sounds a bit dramatic?

One way is to investigate is what demands you are making of how you should be, how others should be, and how the world should be. You can look at the demands and shoulds. They are there! Then you can look at how realistic they are and if they conform to reality.

Any particular emotions in mind? Quickly thinking and looking at my book shelf..... Happiness and How it Happens...... The Happy Buddha Love is Letting Go of Fear...... Gerald G Jampolsky Letting Go...... David R Hawkins

Careful friend. Leo is on the prowl for low quality threads. The thread you refer to was deemed bullshit of the highest order by Leo and it got locked.

This is the first self-help book I ever read. It was a game changer for me. About 23 years ago I think. I still have my original copy. It's absolutely covered in pen and scribbles from how much I used it. It's falling apart. It introduced me to cognitive behaviour therapy, and I went on to study it and get qualified in it. I see cognitive behaviour therapy as really useful but everything I have since learned, especially things of a more spiritual nature, takes me to a higher level than cognitive behaviour therapy alone could.

@Shadowraix I know. It's scary isn't it. On the same day I can go from 1/10 to about 8/10 - It really pains me when I realise later on I was at an 8/10. I can feel almost ashamed. Within a few seconds of the interaction I can realise I was at 8/10. Some times even half-way through the interaction I realise this, but the train has left the platform, and it's almost too late due to poor self-control. One of my dreams about self-actualisation is that I catch an 8/10 reaction at the moment it arrives and short-circuit it. Self control at the point of "attack", what a skill that is to have! I'm chasing it!

I'm starting to think we are all on the projection scale and that it is not static, but variable, depending on a host of factors present at the time of the communication with the other or others. My thinking here is that 10/10 on the projection scale = Hostile and/or passive aggressive projection onto another without any meaningful insight you are doing this. Loads of self-denial, the other person is always to blame, and the projection intensity is easily enough to fracture relationships and even lead to physical violence, and at the minimum psychological harm if the other is vulnerable to this. 1/10 on the projection scale = Projection is able to be self-corrected or self-managed as it happens. There is insight, self-control and immediate reflection to limit or avoid any damage at all to the quality and authenticity of the communication/interaction with the other.

Great topic. I'm pretty sure mindfulness meditation has virtually put an end to my insomnia. That and deep and slow breathing at night. My preference is to focus on one sound and for that focus to be as uninterupted as possible. Usually I will focus on the sound of the traffic. Some times a ticking clock. Sometimes the clunking of weights at the gym. I have found that focusing on a specific sound keeps me grounded in the present moment.

What happened?

Or exclude men if the guru is male and gay, or exclude both men and women if the male guru is bisexual.

And others on here don't? It's not even clear who you are referring to. Edit. Sorry this post of mine is not relevant to anything really. Ignore!

Leo I just don't see this aggression you refer to. Honestly I don't. There's far worse on here almost daily. And as for ignorance and spreading ideas. 75% of the forum are probably guilty of this to some degree surely. Ignorance even if it is that, is not a fixed state. This place is an ignorance antidote to a degree. Some of us are in need of the therapy on here! The OP seems genuine to me. Members seem actually willing to engage with the OP.

Drug induced enlightenment?

Same for women.

Thanks for this.

Hi Nahm. What does this post mean? Are you replying to anyone particular?

I was talking about them not you! You seem the wise one compared to your father! They are the ones perhaps in fear with fear being spread out to you but in different form (like controlling you).

I don't know how old are you. I sense younger than me, but you've worked out long before I did, a heck of a lot of dysfunctional behaviour like this is completely rooted in fear. Often, never to be admitted as fear. So deeply entrenched and self-denied, even the person doesn't see it. Fear gets re-routed for a less "shameful" anger, hostility, controlling, lashing out, substance misuse, the list goes on and on.........

What your suggesting is not unreasonable. I do it all the time with books. However, I'd be surprised Leo would put a book on a pedestal that he has only dipped into and got the gist of. I understand he audio reviews them too. Probably even enlightenment and actualisation aside, out of respect for the author, if he's going to review their book on a big public platform, I cannot imagine for a second he will have or admit to, not reading the whole book, from front to back. If there's one thing I can sense from Leo, he's thorough, dedicated and a hard worker. I don't believe a lot of his teachings or ideas as of yet, but I believe his authenticity. You are not calling him a liar I know, but I just don't see him taking a short cut with the listed books.

I'm not going to type out much, it's good you are getting support on here. I'll just like to throw it in that you are talking about it and getting different perspectives. I think that's crucial. I can relate personally to what you are going through. But of course, it's not the same exactly. But keep talking. If you have people face to face you can share this stuff with then I encourage you to do that as well. Don't take one persons advice on here as the Gospel Truth. Get a few suggestions. Vent it out a bit. It might be too late to save them, but it's not too late to save yourself. I'm not saying to definitely leave, or even leave at all as could cause more problems than it solves, but don't go down with the sinking ship if that's what it comes down to in the end.

It's a great post that Drew. I actually mean that, not sarcasm, but........ I just can't get it out of my head, how one removes personal bias from the equation when thinking about is there a God, who is God, how does he operate, what happens when I die, and all this stuff about the universe. When I get an answer I always feel like it's not a real answer. This is thread derailment though (from me, not you). It must take an extraordinary person to short circuit the process and have no personal bias in something they've invested years in. I would imagine the average person who believes they are God etc nurtured this belief for a long, long, time. Invested in it. Shared it. Preached it. Became it. To them it's not a belief, because perhaps belief translates to them as fraud or fake. It's like the term belief is viewed as an insult. Like I am comparing their view on life to believing in Santa Clause or mermaids. I don't mean it like that. I mean how many absolute truth's are there in terms of the discussion on this forum? Look at the dating section for example. Everybody trying to coach everybody else. It's all belief, ideas and personal values/philosophies. I've no problem with it as such as we can learn from others experience and teachings, but lots of it is written as established fact and absolute truth. How can one remain open-minded and humble? That's a projection of mine there, I don't get to define what is open-minded and humble I suppose and I don't get to decide that people even want open-minded and humble. I love the term "not knowing mind". It's so crucial for me. Then again, perhaps I'm more happy to come across as not being any kind of authority on anything LOL Sorry for derailment, I think I need to vomit this stuff onto the thread sorry. I am no better than any other person on here, just curious.

I don't agree but it made me smile literally. In a nice way. I'm not at the point I can accept that explanation, but I am thankfully at a point where humility and being openminded are the two values I am chasing and trying to embody. Even if my posts allude otherwise at times. It's always going to be work in progress for me. Therefore, I don't agree, but I know that I might not have the current awareness or experience to agree. Ask me in a few months when I have 12,000 posts behind me (tongue in cheek)

Great topic. For the people saying you'll end up right back here or your suffering will not end, this is a belief you are sharing is it not? This is something you have come to believe about death, or something you want to believe? It is something others believe and you have agreed with others? I don't know what to believe about death so I do not have a position to defend on what does or does not happen after death. If what you post is not a belief I'd love to be corrected/guided on what it is, if it's not a belief. It's one thing comparing theory and ideas, but perhaps have a think how you would approach the topic of suicide with someone who is in the advanced stages of Motor Neurone Disease, perhaps a friend or family member, who has been told by the legal system he and loved ones have no right to facilitate euthanasia in their own country, but if they have enough money they can go to another country and it's okay. Would you say to that person in the wheelchair who might be going to suffocate to death at some point soon ... "no point in topping yourself mate, you'll be right back here". Or telling him "You are God. You are the Universe". Actually I'll keep open mind hat on here..... of course there could be a situation where to think along these lines spiritually would actually comfort someone, but I wouldn't absolutely count on it! I'm not emotional writing this or angry. It's a really powerful debate all the time about suicide, whether you are coming from an actualised.org perspective or another perspective. I have personal experience, more than I would have wanted to have.