Matt Skinner

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  4. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner
    Added TL;DR

    Question for anyone who has experience with Kriya Supreme Fire:

    TL;DR—While doing Kriya Supreme Fire, does it really matter which concentration spot you focus on (among the navel, below navel, perineum, and heart area)? Sometimes I feel like none of these spots is particularly “empty and spacious” as Gamana instructs.

    —

    Full Q: In the books, Gamana instructs to concentrate on either the perineum, below navel, navel, or heart area. Each of these locations is a chakra of course. In choosing a concentration spot, he says to “choose where it feels empty and spacious.” I’ve been doing the practice for a while now and I’ve always just focused on the heart area because the perineum and abdominal locks always make those parts of my body feel kind of...not empty and spacious.

    However, one day I tried focusing on the perineum (not worth explaining why), and I noticed an energetic feeling there that was different, and perhaps more intense, than what was happening when I focus on the heart. It also did feel a way that could maybe be described as “empty and spacious” even though I was clenching the muscle. But I became unsure if I’ve been interpreting “empty and spacious” the way Gamana intended.

    This made me start wondering if I’ve chosen the “wrong” spot to concentrate on. I’m all for trusting my own intuition, but also I didn’t invent the practice and I don’t claim to understand it perfectly, even with some experience. I’m trying to make sure I understand the instruction.

    This has exposed some neurotic tendencies I have about doing the practices “right”; sometimes I’ll start the practice with no clear sense of where it feels most empty and spacious. I’ll pick a spot (like the heart), then a third of the way through the time period I’ll switch to another spot that feels more appropriate. I feel like I waste too much time just choosing where to concentrate.

    It’s likely that the spot you choose doesn’t matter that much, hence Gamana not stressing the importance of picking one spot over another. It’s probably more important to just pick a spot and stick with it for the entirety of the exercise. But is there a possibility that it’s better to start with perineum for some time (like several weeks), then move up progressively? Can you focus on a different concentration point every time you do the practice? Perhaps this is needless speculation on my part.

    I plan on continuing to experiment with different concentration spots. But if you have any insight into this, please let me know! Sorry this ended up so long ?

  9. Posted

    Just to add further support that you are not alone—I dealt with this constantly in college. Still do, actually, though to a lesser degree.

    What the others have said is true. Raising your consciousness can help deal with the approach fear, but ultimately experience is key. The only way out is through.

    Don’t be afraid to be a failure, or a loser, if it seems like girls don’t like you. Realize you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Keep learning and practicing.

  10. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner

    On 12/3/2020 at 2:35 PM, How to be wise said:

    I think assuming that God is all-knowing is perfectly fine. After all, if God isn’t, then who is?

    And I most certainly am not all-knowing. After all, I don’t know the exact size of the observable universe in light years. 
     

    What assumption of mine is wrong?

    You don’t know the exact size of the observable universe, but maybe someone else does or might some day. You are also that person. You are everyone; you are infinity.

    The assumption you’re getting wrong is that you are merely the person you feel like right now. To whatever degree you are identified with the ego, God will seem separate from you. God is purely self-less. So, in an way, you’re correct that you’re not God. Your identity cannot be God because God has no identity. God is all identities.

    Nevertheless, you also are that thing which simultaneously includes all identities and none at all. You are God, and you can become directly conscious of this.

  12. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner

    12 hours ago, ItsNick said:

     

    Lol. Sam Harris is actually describing why the reaction against Stage Green is a problem --> Leads to Trump

    And at the same time he is demonizing Green

     

    The classic struggle between rightly acknowledging green’s excesses, which are problematic because of the ego backlash they incite in lower stages, VS validating that lower stage backlash and demonizing stage green.

    Very tricky line to straddle, in terms of communication. Or maybe not, I don’t know haha maybe it just depends on the audience’s place on the spiral. It’s clear Sam’s audience is the common orange-green split.

  13. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner

    David Pakman has a great video articulating how Trumpists truly feel they are at war with sacrilege and the overtaking of their rightful white majority in this country. They’re willing to lie, cheat, and even sacrifice themselves because they have a greater cause (aka toxic life purpose like Leo has talked about).

    Classic stage Red/Blue/low Orange Spiral Dynamics

  16. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner

    I scrubbed through the video (okay no I didn’t, I just looked at the timestamps) and I’m amazed Tom had that dude on. So weird. It’s cool that Tom was open to hearing him out. But I have trouble understanding how people can map these elaborately specific religions (aka Christianity or really any religion) onto conscious phenomena that has no intrinsic intellectual content of the sort. Like, none of my mystical experiences have even slightly alluded to Jesus, or if they did, it was apparent that Jesus is just a cultural idea the mind associates with high levels of consciousness. Probably because I was raised in a secular household

  21. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner

    Dude I heavily relate to this and am still working on it myself. But what has helped me is just working on myself/learning about dating, increasing my consciousness, and, as Leo said, more experience. Failing enough times with a healthy mindset reduces anxiety because you become desensitized to your fear of failure. Also increasing your consciousness (meditation, yoga, psychedelics, etc.) has made me less neurotic and attached to the outcome. Realizing relativity and intrinsic perfection allows for authenticity and reduces neediness.

    Leo has an older video about dating that I remember with the acronym CHED (like Chad ?) — Confidence, Humor, Edginess, Detachment from outcome.

  22. Posted · Edited by Matt Skinner

    @Leo Gura I don’t know if you enjoy modern classical music, but Eric Whitacre writes choral music I find utterly transcendent. He utilizes cluster chords that remind me a little of binaural beats (the dissonance). If you listen to these selections, I highly recommend paying attention to the words—he’s great at “painting” the text with corresponding harmonies and melodies, utilizing beautiful poetry.

    His work was a partial catalyst for my spiritual inquiry and seeking. The harmonies expressed truth to teenage-me in a way that words alone could not, which blew my mind :)

    Lyrics:

    hope, faith, life, love

    dream, joy, truth, soul

    Lyrics:

    Stretched out on the grass,
    a boy and a girl.
    Savoring their oranges,
    giving their kisses like waves exchanging foam.

    Stretched out on the beach,
    a boy and a girl.
    Savoring their limes,
    giving their kisses like clouds exchanging foam.

    Stretched out underground,
    a boy and a girl.
    Saying nothing, never kissing,
    giving silence for silence.

  25. Posted

    Just saw this post (I literally was searching the forum for “Hamilton” ?) and I couldn’t agree more. It is amazing to see a live performance of the absolute highest quality, delivering an immaculate piece with so much energy and heart. Truly an epic work of art.