GreenWoods

@Eonwe5 It's awesome that you try being mindful on your commute. But I wouldn't stop the real meditation session. You probably won't have big breakthroughs or get into a deep meditative state while standing in the train. The best is, of course, that you do both and don't substitute

@Justincredible76 Most monasteries will take you without you having to pay if you want to become a monk and ordain. But that means playing along their rules: sticking with their schedule, their teachings and doing work like taking care of the garden. I believe the only requierements in most monasteries are that you don't have any serious health issues or debts. In Asia it should be easy finding such a monastery When you are deeply thirsting for Truth and see no point in "normal life", I see no reason why you should force yourself into a university right now. Go and become a monk for some months/years and then you can go to university afterwards if you want. In the world is so much misery, you can find yourself a nice subject in university and then a job that allows you to help humanity in a conscious way. And as you become older/ more spiritual advanced you can transition to becoming a guru if you wish (or do both). Or you remain in the job and become super helpful as you become more conscious. Or stay in your monastery for a decade or so and become a guru right away

@mandyjw yes, you are right I will do some additional work on my vision before I start I like the idea of life being a play, Alan Watts also mentioned this often. Perhaps I will soon recognize it first hand instead of only knowing it intellectually

I'm 19 and want to do a one year meditation retreat before I go to university. I want to rent an apartment as this is cheapest (ca. $230 monthly) and I am free to do whatever I want (no given schedules with dogmatic teachings etc like in most ashrams, monasteries...). However, my parents are very concerned because I would be alone the wohle time. For example, they worry that I might do something crazy and there is no one to stop/help me. I guess that the only and very remote danger is, that I have some kundalini awakening or other unexpected energetic experience where something goes wrong and I am unable to call for help or fall into coma. I estimate the probability lower than 0.01%. But well, my parents are worried and estimate the probability for any horror event higher (and their worry is reinforced by an (in my opinion dogmatic) astrologer (my mum deeply trusts her) who says that because of my birth chart, altered states of consciousness are dangerous for me). I suppose that's all ridiculous, but for the sake of my parents' worries, do you think there is any danger?

Raising my level of consciousness, getting in touch with being, seeing through the illusions created by the ego and quenching my unquenchable thirst for Truth

I know, and I have no problem with that. But I don't like seeing my parents worry/suffer because of me But I suppose, unless I design my life according to their vision, this is invetible

If I do a technique like self inquiry 14 hours a day, then of course the quality will go down. Therefore I'm planning to do perhaps 10 hours of hardcore practices and 5 hours contemplating (perhaps even while walking outside)

why meditate 9 hours daily if you could 14 If I even tried to explain to my parents what enlightenment is, they would definitely think that I've lost my mind. I suppose I should do what seems right according to my intuition...

Thanks for answering:) I know that there will be times when I will feel depressed, insane and suicidal but I'm fine with that. I know these subtle dangers are not to be underestimated but I'm more concerned with gross dangers as those mentioned in my post. A few months ago I did two weeks and those were easy. ( I would have done more and longer retreats but this wasn't possible due to school). In the last months I was doing spiritual practices averaging 4 hours daily. Currently it's less because I'm puting all my time into planing the retreat

@Jcent Here some possibilities for a long retreat, roughly from cheapest to expensive: 1. stay at home downside: distractions and possibly obligations 2. sleep in a tent close to a supermarket and a stream (as I mentioned somewhere above) 3. Asram in india via internet you will probably only find short term ones which are very expensive. If you want to find a cheap one, you either have to go to India and search there in person, or someone in a forum can recommend you one. Downside: Flight costs, health risks, and you could end up finding only ashrams where you need to follow their schedule, including religious ceremonies, and have to help a lot. 4. rent an apartment (close to a supermarket) I don't know how expensive that will be in America, but in Germany I found several apartments to rent for about $230 monthly (they are furnished) (I found them via ebay kleinanzeigen) 5. Monastery you have to ordain. (which will most likely entail that you have to learn their dogmas, help a lot, almost no internet (your parents won't like that) ). But this might be the cheapest option you don't have to ordain. Hard to find via internet. The ones you find on the internet are either too expensive (like that one: https://zmm.org/zmm/year-long-intensive-at-zmm/ $850 monthly) or you will have to follow their schedule and work a lot. for example, here is a cheap one : https://www.zen-azi.org/en/long-term-zen-retreat ca. $320 monthly. But you have a vigorous schedule to follow. For example in Thailand you might find temples/monasteries where you can stay without all the bs but they are hard to find and you probably won't be allowed/able to have internet and stay in contact with your parents which they likely won't like. Best chances to find such a one is to have one recommended by someone on the internet or find it in person when you are there. You find a monastery in America/Europe that offers long term stays cheaply and without church involvement. Good luck finding one. 6. Meditation retreats I haven't found any conventional meditation retreats where you can stay for half a year or a year. Does anyone here know of such a retreat? That means, you would have to do several which last for a few months. If you want to meditate one year, then you will probably have to pay at least $10 000.

Do you have a life purpose / dream job ? If yes, do you need a degree for it? I also think of college as totally unnecessary. If you invest the time in studying on your own instead of wasting it in college/university you will probably be at least 3 times better prepared for a job. But you have no degree so no ones knows. So then you somehow need to prove your skills, if you succeed congrats otherwise you're fucked. It's way more risky but also way more effective

@traveler is the surgery against spirituality? One perspective could be that spirituality entails acceptance of what is. On the other hand, you are a conscious creator and can do whatever you want. The surgery won't slow down your progress to enlightenment. Training your acceptance-of-what-is muscle may quicken it very slightly though. But before you waste time worrying about your looks you might rather get the surgery and invest the time in direct practices

@traveler you wrote that since you shifted in consciousness, it doesn't bother you that much anymore. So chances are, when you keep doing consciousness work, it will probably bother you less and less. You could postpone the surgery another year and then see how you think about it then.

I've been observing large disagreements by various teachers on free will. I think it depends on the perspective, I came up with these: - 1. Perspective: Free will This human organism makes decisions and has free will. This free will may be limited (due to environmental input, subconscious programming, astrology,...) but exists nevertheless. If I remember right, Leo said in his free will vs determinism video that all the cells of the body, or the organism as a whole makes the decisions. And I supppse free will can be attributed to that organism - 2. Perspective: No free will When I say "I have free will" I am actually saying "I believe that I am the ego and this ego has free will". The ego is an illusion, there is no one to have free will, thus you don't have / there is no free will - 3. Perspective: Free will Everything that is (and is not), is created by and is God. God doesn't create arbitrarily but consciously with infinite intelligence thus you may say he has free will. Everything that is, is God's will for otherwise it wouldn't be. As you are God, every decision you make is God's decision. And as God's decisions are from a place of free will, your/every decision is from a place of free will. I however haven't yet had and enlightenment experience, let alone deep ones. So don't take my word, I can be totally mistaken/deluded. What are your opinions on these perspectives?

@SoonHei Thanks, that is quite a good analogy

read the "conversations with God" books. it's explained quite well there, including metaphysical explanations on it I haven't seen anywhere else

the first view is the view of the ego. The few is true to the extend that you believe that you are the ego. Once enlightened, you will recognize that the first was just an illusion and that the second is true. yes, stay in the place of not knowing with the intention to find it out. However, if one view may help you more in life and on the spiritual path you can adopt it, staying aware that it is but a view though (btw there is even a third view, that of astrology and past lives so your first view, you are the ego. Your second view, you are God. The third view, you are the soul)

Yes https://www.actualized.org/coaching

If you are into indian music, I recommend you check out Sounds of Isha (rarely Sadhguru sings too). Sometimes I listen to these songs after meditating and I found that they connect me with being and make me humble, loving and peaceful. They manage to slightly open my eyes to the beauty of Creation, such that I sometimes get to tears. Here some of my favourites: They may also help when you are stressed or nervous, don't listen to them to often though or the effects my wear out

Thanks a lot for the detailed answer I also like self inquiry most, I will definitely spend those months doing it combined with some other techniques. I wish you all the luck that the opportunity to also do such a retreat will turn up:)

Interesting. I am planning a half year retreat of 15 hours daily meditation. So you'd suggest that doing half a year volunteering work 15 hours daily would bring me closer to enlightenment/liberation than the meditation retreat (given that I would volunteer because I earnestly want to help and not in order to get something in return (spiritual growth))? I highly doubt this is probable but I am open to it, would be life-changing... what's your opinion on that?

As far as I know, it's basically about completely devoting your life to service to others. If you are lucky, your ego will eventually dissolve (due to the constant selfless giving) and you might attain enlightenment (due to dissolving ego and good karma). But I suppose this enlightenment is hardly gonna be very deep and very unlikely to attain in the first place as this path is very indirect. So I recommend you combine it with direct practices like self inquiry and kriya yoga

I never heard someone saying that he is able to go days without sleeping and feeling amazing due to nofap if someone is interested in semen preservation, the youtube channel " sexual kung fu" is quite legitimate

absolute open-mindedness

oatmeal