Natasha Tori Maru

@Carl-Richard A literal minefield >.< How the hell do we manage to communicate anything at all with this turd version of communication 'language' Some bastard needs to unlock telepathy secret

This one is really troubling me. I don't know what it is at all. I get an impression in my mind it is like the background that defines the foreground. Invisible but causal. The tricky part is it doesn't show up as part of the 'thing', but it determines how the 'thing' shows up. No separation between the thing it gives meaning to but co-arises with it. Like a paradox - separate but together.

@Joshe I'm DEAD. END IT ALL NOW There, I found some FUCKING self left!

@Princess Arabia Gosh - having an ego moment looking at my garbage sentence quoted Agree again. Men are just as dramatic as women. JUST this morning one of the drywallers threw a nail-gun at our supervisor and starting screaming about being disrespected. 'I won't be ordered AROUND BY SOME YOUNG cu** GREEN AROUND THE GILLS SHIT' Some men fail to realise anger is an emotion - one they engage in FREQUENTLY. And it is usually a mask for what they really feel: sadness, hurt, pain, grief. Again emotion is looked at through a narrow lens without assessing the full spectrum. Really can't argue with that as an example

@Princess Arabia Agree. Basically - we pick our battles. I'm not about to start raking sand here, I will devote my energy to something that I deem worthy. If I think I can bring an opinion or view others haven't considered I for sure will. And I won't hold back. Most especially as I know there are less responders and many, many more readers (users and anon) who browse these forums. Sometimes I do engage in a battle if I think it is educational for the person - but if you watch closely I tap out when I realise they are limited in intellectual scope. And I don't put others in boxes either - because I might have a conversation with that person in a month and they have had some great growth and realisation. Also - I don't find any use in misappropriating behaviour to gender. It has never served me. Really, what is it achieving? What is it actually achieving to say 'Oh that's just what men do'. Frames and generalisations are useful but limiting. They aren't going to help you understand all women. It's a case by case basis. As it should be. As God ordained so it could experience an infinite variety of conscious configurations to harvest experience. If you are really unbiased most of the time its just people peopling as people like to do I do think the women of this forum are a different breed. It's rare to find women (people!) who want to be ripped apart and reconfigured continually to try to understand reality in its glorious fullness. The women here have made me respect other WOMEN more as a female. As I used to be quite denigrating to my own gender.

The idea of a fixed, independent, separate “me” is a mental construction. Not an actual, solid thing. There are real neurological pathways. As per your example, imagine you have a 4-year-old son and he's tortured in front of you. Could you choose what to feel, whether to suffer or not? Even if the “self” is ultimately an illusion, that illusion still functions. And that function has real consequences. Perception arises through raw data: movement, visuals, sounds. Then interpretation happens through the self: 'My son tortured, this shouldn't be happening. I am powerless. This means I have failed' Notice all of that has the narrative 'I'. This narrative self turns pain into suffering. Then, neural pathways get activated once the self has 'kicked in' which are hard wired - but notice they won't just go off by themselves - they are activated through your identification with the event. So the illusion reacts as if it is real. Even though the 'self' isn't a permanent entity - it's a process and functions as if it is real. So you see the 'No-Self' but still the 'suffering' - it is a paradox. There is no solid self - but the illusion of one runs the show until it is clearly seen AND no longer believed in. Until you realise this, it feels real. Reacts as if it were real. Causes suffering as if it were real. Self is a process, not a thing. So even without a real self the system behaves as if there is one. That is - until deeply seen through. The above is what I suspect you haven't 'seen' through... yet. So to apply this in a non-dual way without the self narrative: The son is tortured - now what? Perception still happens, you see, hear, senses function as per normal. There isn't an escape - non dual (no-self) isn't a dissociation. Pain arises within but its not 'yours' - grief agony, helplessness. These all come up fully, even MORE vividly because there is no resistance. There is no resistance because there isn't the 'self thoughts' of a narrative looping. So the mind isn't saying 'Why is this happening to me? I cannot survive this' etc etc. The suffering is pure sensation without any identity encapsulating it. So because there is no identification there is no added suffering. When the self is present you have psychological torment 'My son' 'My failure'. In the no-self mind there is just pain, grief shaking etc but no one there suffering. So you see, this is the extra layer of suffering, on top of the already unpleasant experience? That is the unnecessary suffering of the self that is generated through thoughts. Now in the above compassion still flows - but non-duality does not shut down the heart, rather it OPENS it. Without an ego or 'self' there to protect itself the raw compassion felt can move to act, protect, grieve, and love. It is life expressing itself even in the horror. So no-self is not anti-human spirituality. It enhances all feeling and brings you closer to the raw truth of it. And this has been what I have experienced. Think of electricity, lighting vs a wire: - In ego, pain travels through the wire of self, burning YOU. The wire 'self' causes resistance and gets burned - suffering. - In no self (nonduality) lighting strikes but there is no wire, so nothing gets scorched. Lighting still happens though. So no-self means you feel MORE because the heart isn't defended. But suffer less because no identification with thought.

Yes. My direct experience from construction sites. Men do this also.

You poor thing

😮 My interest in Kriya yoga is piqued. If it does anything to enhance vividness, recollection or duration, I'm IN. I had no idea it could do this

No - I do not speak from belief. I know.

No worries - agree to disagree. The above is an illusion. Enjoy your journey!

Also to be clear about the above - do you consider that philosophy 'stop thoughts to cease suffering, open spiritual truth' to be anti-human spirituality? I still don't quite grasp your definition of 'anti-human spirituality', but only because of your style of expression. Can you summarise in one sentence?

It's the core of self. It is what most people perceive as more real than this reality. So respectfully disagree. It is not superficial to my understanding. Core 1) energetically inscribed into their being = bad habit of thinking certain things. You think the thought. Do you think thoughts just 'happen' like they 'fall' on you? Who is doing the thinking? It's just a pattern of had habitual thoughts. That is at the base of this energy thing you are talking about. That is at the core of how to stop the issue. Realise the thoughts are doing it, and work to adjust your perspective and context. 2) meditation alone won't stop the 'energy structure'. But halting the thoughts will show you that it is you causing the suffering and blocking your access to true spirituality. Again, to clarify - do you believe thoughts just 'befall' you? Just 'happen'? You can't help it? Genuinely - thoughts don't just happen. It is you (so to speak) that is doing it. You are thinking stuff that causes issues. You aren't a victim of the thoughts. They aren't evil spirits coming externally. Honestly have you had this realisation? If you haven't that's a big next step on your spiritual journey I agree that you can frame it as an energy structure, it's just that I am unsure if you see the cause, effect and solution. It is a complicated made up concept to describe the simple act of thought cessation and realisation of effects.

@ExploringReality Right back at ya! I was only just recalling on my morning run, my first interaction with you was quite catalytic, but you are a killer chap Got a lot of vital real energy. Maybe if there ever is this actulized.org official meetup it'd be a great jam, meeting others is always a blast. Flights would eat all my vacation savings, but an experience not to be missed. We always have these ideas of how others are. The reality - the real TRUTH - is always a surprise

I simply took opportunities as they arose. And as I grew in wisdom, my ability to discern which opportunities were worth it, also grew. This led to a snowball effect where I struggled for a long time - and then one day BAM! I begun to make the right choices. And rapid growth in career, spiritual work and life in general happened. I also learned the essence of creativity and success is in what one ISN'T doing. Usually it is what you are DOING that is holding you back

Nah your mind is snagged on this - absolute truth is absolute truth. I didn't say that - and you are forcing my statement into fallacy by implying I stated absolute truth. Truth isn't just some binary thing. There are partial truths, contextual truths, approximate truths, evolving truths. That is why the spiritual process is about finding out what the truth is for yourself. You can scream and spam here as much as you like but you should recognize when the discussion is going no-where. No one's mind is being changed and you aren't convincing anyone. Tappin' out now

Where did I state that? I mean, the context was that all perspectives are relevant and not to be dismissed. Even Schizo's. You are making meaning out of nothing. Seeing shit that aint there. Did I say absolute truth? No. I said personally verified through real world experience. Which in the case I presented was to illustrate that this perspective carries more weight. Perspectives are usually closer to truth with measured against reality. Again - anyone can argue with anyone. No restrictions.

@Hojo You misunderstand. Where did I ever say no one is allowed to argue? You are free to argue your hand is attached to your face. I don't mind. My statement was that experience typically carries more weight.

@Joshe Makes total sense and I agree! Real openness. Openness to being wrong also - I am okay not knowing something as it means I can potentially gain new insight. Constant context shifting. The state of 'not knowing' is primary and fundamental. It is just a shame society actually teaches us that ignorance is such a negative thing and knowledge is to be revered. Judgements that don't serve. Obviously, one cannot go through life as a nitwit might - knowledge is essential - but the ability to snap back to a state of open not knowing is a HUGE asset.

@Hojo All I said was Princess Arabia was speaking from experience - and Schizo was relaying hearsay. I don't understand where you got all these other statements from. I didn't say anything of the sort. You have a lot of projection going on.

What are you referring to? Truth not being verified through experience?

@Joshe I have really had my perspective widened wrt men's issues and troubles here. @Princess Arabia has also had some great thoughts regarding the inner carnivore due to her experience. It's a shame her perspective on escorting was being dismissed in the other thread - because her experience was actually personally verified truth. Whereas others were presenting ideas as facts. And this is what this place is all about - truth! Facepalm moment there... All perspectives are welcome with me !

You know I always felt Leo used examples of an extreme nature - and often negative/polarizing - to induce a mildly shocking state change through reaction. He walks you through a contemplation in real time - then BOOM a shockingly extreme example to induce a change of state. Like a verbal Zen stuck up the backside... It just so happens that negativity gets people's attention - the brain is an error detecting machine. Constantly scanning for errors so you 'don't make that mistake again' -> learn & then survive. This means we naturally pay attention to negative things. Think negative news. So, you can see how this is quite a crafty and sly way to induce realization in his audience! He used the natural process' of the brains survival mechanism to neatly serve insights My 2c.

@Princess Arabia You could be right - I was speculating. It does seem odd female perspectives were ignored though, if you are correct (which you most likely are) as the qualities he is seeking are... feminine

@Princess Arabia Honestly, this user doesn't welcome female advice/perspective. My questions were not addressed either. No stress for me - the user has a block to the feminine hence the inability to understand why he cannot understand or attract. Self-admitted too 'I am too logical'. So we are being 'blocked' out - literally!!! HAHA! It always makes me wonder how our (as women) dialogues might change if we had ambiguous names/profile pictures He probably just wants to know how to get sex only. And will only receive what little he needs to know regarding women from a man's perspective. Maturity comes with time.