Spence94

@Jeff Zhang LOL, been given that advice many times over...

The Chinese Government and Xi Jingpings move toward more and more authority are more and more seeking nationalism in this country. Just look at the situation in Tibet and the Eastern regions ( cant remember the specific name of the province) where they are supressing sectors of islam. I here its difficult ot buy groceries without having IDs inspected over there. 5-10 Years ago there were way more westeners and people from all over the world living in China... now the numbers have dwindled and its been made increasingly difficult. As china and its people move towards a consumerist economy, its people are more culturally aware, have money in their pockets and wanna spend it, the government has to be careful to maintain its position, they are greatly outnumbered at the end of the day. More Chinese people are looking to travel and those that do get a first hand glimpse of western living and bring those stories back. say what you like about western values and governments, im not saying we dont have our own corruption and twisted elements but when Chinese people interact with everyday westeners and notice that we are not out to destroy China its begs the question. Also think about heavy the internet it restricted here, dam its becominy so hard to consistently access western website and theyre keeping more and more tabs on in it。 The majority of Chinese will live and die in China. Foreign influence and impact on people views is something you have little control over if it gets in, so a solid sollution is to try to supress it. I think a lot of it boils down to this.issue of nationalism and maintaining the centralisation of power. As long as Chinese people enjoy their lives and free to climb the economic ladder now they have baught into capitalism and the persuit of wealth then they are happy and don't seem that bothered about the fact they cant choose their government. If their family prospers and the national family prospers then all is well. Its a strange balance the government has to work with, authourity and control vs seeming daily freedoms and prosperity of its people, particularly as more and more middle class emerge. (they all want houses now... a common sight of western living...) But a solid strategy to maintain that and ensure the people don't start wanting a bit more from the government and country is to limit the influence of western culture, systems and values. Nationalism is a powerful force and Chinese people are naturally very proud of who they are and where they come from, with their long history and 60+ years of communist rule, its a solid strategy for a government who is the odd success story compared to all the other communist experiments.

I am pretty sure Vaping ended up being placed under the same smoking ban as ciggaretes, which isn't suprising given the fucking clouds that people like to hoof around town nowadays. Basically no indoor public places, not in shops/bars/ buses/ hospitals etc. I'm not sure if its an actuall law but it seems to be the case Try FlavourVapour, that's a popular chain that seems to be expanding all the time. Last time i was wondering around Bristol, their was about 3 chains and they are pretty fully stocked with everything you need. Peace.

One year later.... Merry christmas I recently watched Leos big picture videos and thesubfields video and the 65 principles of the good life. Watching these videos made it seem easy... well it grounded the whole thing in a simple idea of don't be fucking lazy because the high level overview of the path is kinda right there. I am going to give this journal another shot as i had a thought about the usefulness of engaging with the Actualized.org community in this forum could be for me... So i will start using it again, at least that what i am writing right now and telling you. You can read this, or don't. I am basically always starting again. it always feels like i am moving backwards and starting things again, i dunno. It's like i look at my old approach and realise how stupid it was and take a step back but kinda go forward. Anyways, its basically like i wrote in the first post in regards to what i am up to. So i would like to think i will start updating this more often, but who knows. Maybe it will be frequent or maybe it will be another year or two.... Maybe i will begin a new one because i wanna start fresh with a new title. -I teach English in a Chinese primary school - I am trying to learn Mandarin Chinese - I practice kundalini kriya yoga as well as a mixture of Hatha, ashtanga, vinyasa yoga.( Asana, Pranayama) - i have learned and practice some Tai chi and Qigong here in China - I love nature and its affect on my body, mind and soul. -I sometimes use gymnastic rings - I love to swim, move and lift - I want to start reading a lot more books - i want to master all of my life and its many areas really my current intuitions are:- focus on my health, nutrition and consistent Yoga, meiditation and exercise. -give more value to learning another language and living in a radically different culture. It is an amazing life experience and opportunity that i would be foolish to watch slip past me without embracing and soaking in for all its worth. It is a technique and tool for self actualizing in and of itself and is not a separate thing. life is to be lived and experienced. what use is all this self actualization if it is removed from the world and our day to day lives and experiences. There aint nothing like being in the market place... - actually gain some mastery over my emotions - install habbit of going to bed early... rising with the sun. -eat more broccoli and avocado. - start just reading more frequently and immersing in the study of personal development. yoga, History, life, - choose some subfields/ definite techniques to focus on and not get bogged down by the weight and seeming huge task that is self actualizing. -put more attention on building my career/ mission in life, getting clearer on it, Reading and researching about business, money and marketing, move towards having traction in a lifes purpose/mission to fuel my self actualization. Getting some inner game down in these areas. Anyways, i hope this time round the journal can help keep the oil running and the nuts and bolts in place. I feel the commitment to the persuit of self mastery more in my bones now. Let's see.............

One thing I like observing is how my view of life shifts when my financial situations changes. It is like new pathways of thinking and possibilities reveal themselves to me that were otherwise not there. Go for it if you intuition is telling you I am having kind of a similar one right now. I still meditate and and do my yoga daily... but when it comes to self- development my intuitions lately have been to put a heavy focus on Health, money, business, productivity and life purpose/ career and also to not overthink it all so much and just read some more bloody books. Ive recently been watching the big picture videos of leos, including his recent ones about the 35 subfields of self help and 65 principles of the good life. they are extremely helpful to keep in mind. So fair play for following your heart and gut despite the trajectory of other self actualizers... but maybe you don't need to feel like your abandoning it all, you are just shifting your focus/ priorities and doing whats right for you and your life. It all comes back to daily living at the end of the day man. Do what is right for your trajectory and path. Good luck. Merry Christmas. Peace

@Arthur totally. I also find that my personality is different in the other language. this is partly probably due to the result of the mind and culural nuances associated with the language. Even with limited language under your belt, so much can be communicated through body languge and the meaning drawn from limited language. fluency however would certainly require a big effort and i doubt the same collective mind space of the language and culture could ever be accessed without being in the country of the language you are learning. It is truly quite amazing to observe yourself effortlessy communicating in a language different to your native tounge. it goes to show how interconnected we are as both humans and the interconnected nature of the language. i always used to wonder how bilingual people thought. Did they translate in their head quickly? do they think in the other language? im.starting to see how yes you can eventually think in the language with enough exposure and use, but when it comes to the interaction and back and forth conversation itself, there isnt much room for pausing to think ( about translations). it really does become kinda effortless in a strange way.well i have at least had glimpses of that and the potential! aha. The process is a long difficult one at times but its fascinating to experience and it motivates me to continue to see how much more profound it can be as my ability improves.

@Shiva yeah man if i wasnt currenty in China, there is no fucking way i would be learning the language aha. the constant exposure is a big source of motivation. Everyday the language kind of unwravels around you ( which is fucking awesome but it only happens if you keep up the study). even with my limited mandarin i find being in the country i dont think too much about it, like you said you literally enter the mind of the language and it seems to roll off much easier and you begin to respond much more effortlessly using the language you have acquired. a big part of the process is that passive vocab that comes from the exposure。Living in the culure then makes it much more easy to activate that passive vocab through practice in your interactions.

@Jeff Zhang sweet thanks! Mandarin is tough but once you get passed the inital intimidating stage its gets better. i am at the point where i can much better distinquish the sounds and rythm of the language. I find language learning to be a domino effect, it just all builds on eachother. Once i released a lot of old beliefs around the subject the possibility of success in the persuit became a lot more real. its a flowing language and its a lot of fun to speak when you get it right. Chinese people are generally very appreciative of the effort too!

@DavidK LOL speaking a second language fluently would be bad ass.

Choose one thing. Dominate one thing. Master the fuck out of one thing. Youll fail if you dont pick one thing above all else. Im kinda bought into this Sagely vision and im allowing that to become my own unique version but im stuck between the overlap of life purpose/ Sagehood and self Actualization. I originally wanted to teach people yoga one day but since adopting a new vision for my life as a whole it seems my life has gone beyond just that. After a year learning kriya and Asana from a true Yogi i now find myself in China learning Tai Chi and Qi gong from some masters. I have mindfulness retreats and such planned too. I also love lifting weights and my body and wanna start figuring out how to bring conciousness into that. I have defined my practice as " A practice and study of the science of yoga, meditation, movement, psychology, body&mind, energy, emotions and awareness" However underneath ive written my field of Mastery as simply "yoga" but doesnt quite ring with me anymore. I saw Leo comment recently saying that being a sage IS a specialization despite it being a path covering a broad spectrum. Basically i dont wanna limit myself and am excited about the prospect of exploring different fields in relation to my practice, while isolating elements and going deep at times. I basically wanna master how this Human machine of body, mind and conciousness operates and can be optimized on all levels. Teaching and sharing what i discover for myself. Its kind of a merging of many things ontop of a more broad vision. Make sense? Too much? Am i just dabbling? Should i narrow my focus more or just shut up and go with it and the opportunities infront of me? Any thoughts?

Have an issue in my understanding. The main idea Leo is suggesting is fully feeling emotions and become a superhuman superconductor for emotions in our body by being aware and mindful. However in the slightly older video, Leo emphasises the filter of interpretation we have "control" over. That video gives of a more positive thinking vibe. So how to reconcile？ I understand letting go of control by building mindfulness but after relinquishing control and feeling emotions enough, is it then wise to switch your thinking and persepctive to create a more positive emotion, (as long you give the emotion space to do its thing)？This ometimes feels forced to me, but also makes sense in answering the question of we transition to more resourceful emotions. Or is there a deeper aspect to emotions im unaware of whereby they begin to shift and change simply by the mindfulness creating "pseudo control" as leo says. It seems the videos are odds with eachother in places. Not sure if the old one is just an outdated perspective for me now or im missing something here....

Bristol, United Kingdom. Currently living/working/travelling in China and Asia.

Do we need an articulated mission statement of what our life purpose is? I guess the benefits are that it focuses you and keeps you on track to take action and know what that action is about. but is their a danger in limiting ourselves? boxing ourselves into one domain/area of mastery? or should we remain adapatable to a changing statement over time through experience and natural developments? I think i have a fear of solidfying it into one sentence that might turn out to not quite be the thing i want it to be in the future.... or choosing the wrong domains of mastery...

Update. Realising my life is short, realisations to do whatever the fuck i wanna do instead of all the things i think i should do. Practicing slowing shit down, accepting myself and inspiring myself. Feeling grateful for these beautiful surroundings and rivers i can swim in. This wonderul town in Southern China is a great place to call home...for now. Been absorbing into 'how to be a strategic motherfucker'. Going to use it as a strong foundation for all else, as the definition of strategy expands way beyond thinking and planning. Initial realisations are, that there is no right and wrong. I can focus myself inwards while at the same time having a foot outside. I can act to become whatever i want. I was being sucked into an Actualized.org ideology or 'yoga' ideology, but i was failing to see the true aim of the teachings. I am in charge. In the world, not of the world. Transcendence of self and an orientation from a deeper connection to that which is underlying all, does not mean the destruction of the self. I was failing to see the way. As Sharon salzburg put it "we dont just become soup!"

Same here. i spent my teenage years drinking and partying like most British Teens do, nowadays its not what i am into, i partied it out. I travel, i live in other places, people come and go. I enjoy my company and interacting with people that come my way, it leads to more enjoyable moments for me. However i cant stand socialising for socialising sake. There is definitly cultural and social pressure for that. Im always prodded to socialise, activley hunt down new friends and find a 'circle'. Ive tried that many times, it yields shit results for me. one of the pitfalls of self actualized choice, become unique and i see through so much bullshit in people and culture and behaviour its hard for me. Now i only wanna surround myself with likeminded people or those with there own passion and purpose. Dont feel you have to 'find friends' or go out and just socialise, do your thing man,but persue your vision buy get out the house as well. Follow a hobby/passion, interact with people as much as you feel inclined and interested, be genuine, stay connected to the world but in your own way of staying connected, not how you are expected to be.

I was in a similiar frame in my last year of University. Obsessed with the idea, the vision, the dream, the newfound possibilities of change. Ease of the peddle brother. Excercise, Meditate, be patient, the storm will clear. Life changes in radical ways at 16. Slow it down and get in touch with the reality of where you are at, we are keen to make change but this journey is 20 marathons in a row, even if you know youll die soon. Practice self acceptance, dont be so hard on yourself, trust in the longterm process of transforming yourself. The lessons and experiences you learn will be passed on to others one day, have faith in a possibility of change, there may well be a reason you have certain things to overcome at this stage in your life. You are young dude, dont forget to let your hair down, recconect with nature, go hike a moutain. Shake shit up and visit another culture away from the books and quotes staring at you in the face. Grow from new experience of life you discounted before, have the courage to do this. You might be surpirsed as to what you find. You sound bogged down. Life consists of many elements, not just neurotic drives for greatness, a true king must be balanced. Peace

Have you noticed a shift in your attitudes and motivations for training since you began conciousness work? I am embarking on approaching all my trainings from a more spiritual perspective, infusing body and mind. Any weight training or body work for me is about the act itself, the moment. The deeper placement, space and understanding i discover within my body. On top of this, i simply love the feeling and lifestyle. Its hard to switch paradigms, but as i work on it i become more aware of the 90% who are not approaching training of any kind from that concious mindframe, i still struggle sometimes. This almost led me to quit lifting or moving my body because it is 'unconcious' or 'unspiritual' or some caveman desire that needs trabscending but im realising its some inner judgement i have, some old beliefs and a spiritual ego developing. This is amplified when i see the selfies being taken in the squatrack! You may be discovering a different approach like me, trust it and know that everyone else is simply acting the way that feels true for them, you have simply moved beyond it and now you see. Just as you have noticed their approach, people may notice something different in your attitude. Perhaps a seed could be planted within them...

I have been absorbing and taking notes on Leos content for 2 years now but overall i don't feel like much is working. I have noticed recently that the big picture of things is gelling in my mind and the different concepts support eachother which is good. However i seem to constantly lack focus . I watch a video on motivation and i think " this is fucking it, this the gold wisdom i needed" i get pumped to act, then ill stumble across another concept a few days later and im pulled into prioritising that one. This cycle repeats itself week after week, month after month. "I need to know more" " i can not work on this until this is done... that wont work unless i fix this...this is more important for me....oh no actually it this thing..." this is what it feels like... So what is it? I am going through the life purpose course, i have a sense for what it is for me. I have a pretty solid kriya yoga and meditation habbit in place. Do i lock in my life purpose and get the vision big and clear like leo drums on about?... or is it my lack of self discipline or optimism...or inability to focus... or my neurotic conditioning that needs unwiring first? Do i rid my limiting beliefs, change my ideas about life and succuss, release my fears and work on my perfectionism? is it habbits? or do i put it all on hold and get my body healthy and pure... oh but i cant do that without.... Or is it my anxiety and confusion of the whole thing that needs dealing with? i dont know. You see my problem? Its a bloody nightmare. I am ready act, i am ready to focus but i cant seem to get out of this spiral. I cant seem to trust any one direction and go with it. Any input/advice/ideas/ questions and wake up slaps, would be really appreciated. Peace

Funnily enough, my desire to stop dreaming shit up and start taking action, led to my action involving dreaming shit up. I took to really getting beneath Leo's Vision, Sage and latest videos regarding the big picture and how to get started with Self-actualization. The first thing i noticed was the definite power of making a study of valuable material. Taking notes, re-watching the videos, mapping it out and even drawing flash cards and bouncing around my room like a lunatic so that shit "sinks" into my nervous system. This seems to have given me a deeper understanding of how this path will play out with more depth, on top of the better knowledge of the material itself. So "i have the path". I've kind of mapped out a Communist style 5 year plan and it's time to take some steps. It begins with the removing of my seeming potent YouTube wormhole addiction that can't help but suck me in. "Oh this is important... that thumbnail is definitely vital, this upcoming recommended video is 100% what i NEED to know right NOW!" I think i have a problem. Combine this with the fact that even some how landing myself in a relationship with an incredible girl can't eradicate the occasional trip down Pornography lane once and for all (who woulda thought!). I've realized things need conscious intention, awareness and focus. On the upside though, i meditated for 3 hours today. I feel high as fuck. With longer sessions, once you break the wall and do them consistently they start to become as bearable as shorter ones. However when i resort back from 1 hour to say 40 minutes, it doesn't take long for those quick paced 40 minutes sessions to start feeling like eternity again. It definitely encourages me to make a commitment to habitually longer sessions in my day, as i find my focus, happiness and productivity are all greatly increased. It definitely creates more time than it takes. It's just a case of grinding over that wall/plateau like so many other things i guess. i will be careful to make the increase a bit more gradual though. Installing that habit is one of the things on my nice colorless mind map that i did some reverse engineering with. This is my attempt to lock in the things i want to get accomplished in order to move me towards the vision/ this specific plan. I wont bore you with more details of that just yet though. I have taken a lot from Leo's Life purpose course, however i have decided against articulating my life purpose in one sentence and choosing a specific field of Mastery ( for now). I am moving in a direction that feels like it is infused with a new sense of purpose and clarity. However i feel the path itself will better reveal my true purpose to me over the coming years as i move in the direction my heart is pulling me, i conduct some experiments and gain some life experiences to gain a greater understanding of my strengths, authentic self and desires. This did mean that i dipped in and out of that course, didn't follow it completely linearly, and there are still bits i need to fully cover. Saying that, for me its probably a good thing, i am beginning to trust myself a bit, take my own initiative, think a bit more and not follow the words of Leo and others so blindly, which is a very easy thing to do. In the words of Oasis, sometimes you need to "Just take what you need, and be on your way". Till next time Peeeeace.

Anybody have any experience with maintaining their spiritual practices while on the road? I am soon to be beginning a travel journey to Asia which is more than likely going to be the start of a good few years of travel experiences. The experience itself is likely to enlighten me but any tips or experience with maintaining meditation/yoga habits and keeping that connection burning whilst on the move!? I am sure I will adapt and find space for it, as its so central to my life but any advice would be great! @DreamSpirit