mindcentral

What psychedelic is the easiest on the body? Especially in terms of not causing tension (or even relaxing).

I've had fibromyalgia for about 6 years now. I've tried myriad treatments, but maybe some of you have suggestions that I'm not aware of? I've done most 'standard' treatments and have tried most diets, except vegan which I don't believe will help me as I drive best on animal products. I've also done the carnivore diet, Wim Hof Method (still do, it's good but doesn't cure me or anything), acupuncture, somatic experiencing, floatation tanks, etc etc etc.. I'm familiar with Joe Dispenza so don't bother posting about him. Also please don't tell me to meditate or do psychedelics or seek enlightenment (been there done that).

How many rounds do you do each morning?

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Supposedly Ramana Maharshi said that the 'the body itself is a disease' (in the context of his cancer, thus implying that the cancer was not something to be feel bad about). I guess it's one thing to say that the body is not you and unimportant, but why would he call it a disease?

Awakenings come and go. What is present during both awakening and non-awakening? Find out what that is

Morality is a survival tool of ego's, something that stands in the way of consciousness.

Check out the Joe Dispenza testimonials on YouTube, they are likely relevant for your project.

Lately during meditation, my eyes often roll back in my head and then my eyelids open, but I only see blackness because my eyes are rolled back in my head. Any ideas on what causes this or what it signifies, if anything? Thanks.

Being aware of being aware is very simple. It might appear complex when the mind tries to understand it intellectually, but actually being aware of being aware is profoundly simple, I would say simpler than focusing on the breath. When the mind tries to grasp it rationally, you only need to notice that you are aware of this trying-to-grasp. No problem!

When frustration arises in your experience, notice that you are being aware of frustration. (If you weren't you would not know that 'you' get frustrated.) When you don't know what focus on, notice that you are being aware of this confusion arising within experience. When the mind is trying to logically understand how 'it' should be aware of being aware, notice that you are being aware of the mind trying to logically understand. In your guided meditation, when feeling that you can't focus on being aware of being aware, be aware that you are aware of feeling that you can't focus on it. (If you weren't you wouldn't be able to react to this feeling.) Keep on noticing forms of experience (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, etc.) arise within experience and keep noticing that you are aware of these forms. I would also suggest the following: When the mind is trying to control the being aware of being aware meditation, wanting it to be some preconceived concept of it, notice that you are aware of the mind trying to control the meditation. Put differently, when you notice desiring some different state than the one you are currently experiencing, notice that you are being aware of this desiring. Being aware of being aware is not a state of mind. A state X is relative to a state Y and is thus a form of experience, an object of experience. Being aware of being aware is a 'non-objective' experience. Be aware of the mind turning being aware of being aware into an object to be realized in the future. Being aware is already the case, now. Be aware that it is already the case. Be aware that you are aware of the screen on which you are reading this text. Be aware that you are aware of the noises that appear in the mind as a result of this text. Be aware that you are aware that the color of this text is black. Be aware that you are aware of the white background of this forum. Etc.

A lot of literature has the potential to expand your knowledge of the human mind, I would recommend reading at least sporadically reading some fiction. But you have to pick the right books of course. Dostoyevsky is a master psychologist. Start with 'Notes from Underground'. David Foster Wallace's short fiction is also good. Or existential literature (Sartre, Camus, ...).

That's what I've been doing or trying to do for quite some time. I've been taking frequent, solo investigative trips since I was 22 (27 now) and have connected to 'source' as you call it on several occasions. Been contemplating and meditating steadily for about 2,5 years and am committed to being as authentic as possible. Over time I've had some improvement (regaining the ability to sleep, mild reduction of symptoms) but currently nothing indicates it will heal. I'm keeping an open mind of course and do try not to turn this into a limiting belief. I added the 'take for granted' caveat because I wanted to know what the best practices are IF my body situation does not improve, but this is not a fixed belief. Curious what your take on this is, @Leo Gura: My last LSD trip (about 300µg) I became intensely 'aware of awareness' and surrendered myself completely to awareness, dissolving in it. Subsequent to this my body began to behave entirely of its own accord, as if it was an entirely external thing unfolding of itself (it was no longer 'me'). My body lay down on the floor, shaking its head and contorting its spine, stretching itself out out (especially around the cheeks and neck) in very intense ways. During this experience, I got flashes of what I at that moment I interpreted as memories of a past life-- images of an underworld filled with prostitution and I 'sensed' even darker things such as murder. The idea arose that I was a portal of human misery, that it was my 'cosmic purpose' to bear the pain of other beings and that my existence had no other function beyond that. At some point 'I' returned and took back control over the body. My body made further attempts to contort and twist, which was frightening, but these attempts subsided as I blocked this process. I cried for hours after that but this wasn't experienced as a negative per se, felt cathartic. Do you think I should have let my body continue to do what it wanted to do? I stopped the process because it felt very dangerous but I also realize that letting it happen might been very cathartic. I'm not sure how I relate to the idea of past lives. I try to be agnostic about everything but I don't know how to wield the past lives/reincarnation model to understand my predicament with, or if that would be a useful thing to do. (Also, my first sexual experiences were with prostitutes and I only after developed the ability to approach women and form something of a connection with them, so ambiguous feelings about that might have played into my above described LSD experience, but I don't know.) Thanks for the feedback everyone.

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What spiritual options do chronically ill people have (e.g. people with severe fibromyalgia)? How much of a spiritual limitation is a chronic health condition with no chance of improvement and which is possibly even progressive in nature? Kriya Yoga, for instance, is no option for me because I can't sit straight in a comfortable way for longer than five minutes. Long regular meditation sessions are much more difficult as well with a decrepit body and brings with it other obstacles (e.g. falling asleep during meditation because of low energy). I've had a lot of intense and full-blown mystical experiences on psychedelics, but my decrepit body remains a limitation in this domain as well. Are chronically ill people spiritually fucked unless they have inborn spiritual talent? I know Ramana Maharshi was decrepit and totally neglected his body, but obviously he is an aberrant case. Note: not looking for health advice here. Just take it for granted that healing is not an option.