UnbornTao

We're holding manipulation as a machiavellian activity when it doesn't have to be. It may be the context of self-survival. Notice emotions are self-manipulations. You get angry in order to manage a sense of hurt. Manipulation can be done to empower others, etc. There's another possibility: communication, which is getting your experience across as it is, untouched. You're not attempting to gain anything but sharing your experience. Say you resent someone. Then you may say: "I resent you for saying that", with the only intent of communicating that experience. In this case, what she does with it is up to her, there's no attempt in your part to create an effect on another.

You hold certain ideals about what it means to be spiritually advanced, whatever that is. So drop them and relate to the person in front of you, rather than to your expectations of how another should behave.

I bought it a few weeks ago, thank you.

manipulation: by 1730, a method of digging ore, from French manipulation, from manipule "handful" (a pharmacists' measure), from Latin manipulus "handful, sheaf, bundle," from manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand") + root of plere "to fill" (from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill"). Sense of "skillful handling of objects" is attested by 1826; extended 1828 to "handling or managing of persons," especially to one's own advantage. Business itself is about manipulation, as well as domains such as politics. The whole game is about influencing, moving, creating effects on others so that you get your agenda met. It's a form of self-survival. It can also apply to a collective form of survival, like that of an organization or team. Not all manipulation is negative, scammy, unconscious or purely about your own benefit. You can do it in a straightforward way, and empower and inspire others, etc. Better to look into what manipulation is for oneself.

@AndylizedAAY Relax. Breathe. Contemplate.

Have you read it? What do you think of it?

Definitely look up to excellent individuals, especially in the field you intent to master. Ultimately, though, you should be focusing on your own skill and growth. The risk of burnout is possible, but you're extrapolating and getting ahead of yourself. Make a decision. What do you want to do? Figure it out for yourself. While pursuing mastery, challenges are going to arise in one form or another; this is inherent in the process. You'll also be pushed to confronting self-imposed limitations, regardless of what you commit to. I imagine that the experience of mastering a skill and field is well worth it, as you'll also learn massively and your consciousness will be deepened.

@Vajra what are you conscious of?

@AndylizedAAY yes I can, thanks.

Thanks for sharing. What about the state of the oil: natural vs processed? Does that account for the differences between naturally produced and ultra-processed? The least processed form is the healthy version, not just the plain one which in the manufacturing process has been stripped of many of its beneficial compounds. Processed coconut oil, for example, is said to be nutritionally deficient, full of saturated fats, etc. The extra virgin, unprocessed variety is beneficial even, sharing some of the healthy compounds from coconuts. It's sensible advice to avoid refined, hydrogenated oils.

A prevalent social fear seems to be that of being found out, of being seen through, of having one's “soul” looked at. It is the fear that others might recognize that, at our core, we may be living as though we are, in some way, broken, incapable, or worthless. This fear may partly explain the urge to present ourselves in a less-than-totally-authentic way. Perhaps based on this fear, as a society we don't feel like we can be truly authentic.

For form to be recognized, we must allow for its non-existence. We notice "apple" thanks to "not-apple." We're aware of the apple because we're aware it's not a banana, and we distinguish the air around it as "not-apple." That something comes to exists as that particular thing is dependent on not-that-thing.

Notice how, for depression to occur, one's image of the future has to be held as a negative. Change your relationship to the future by envisioning a positive, hopeful one Contemplate: "How might my worldview be influencing the happiness that I am able to experience?" Ground yourself on your body, work on being present Avoid believing in negative thoughts, they aren't true, so stop identifying with being a depressed person, life story isn't true Consider physiological factors, too. Master the basics: daily, moderately intense exercise whole-foods diet consume less added sugar cut down on caffeine or replace with green tea more sunbathing supplement with vitamin D take only cold showers for a few months eliminate all meaningless distractions like TV and smartphone etc. It's always temporary! Relax. Be happy.

A high-quality variety like extra virgin olive oil, not refined oil made with sunflower and similar crap.

Can't read screenshot. Maybe try a different way, like saving or exporting the page as PDF. Perhaps there's another command to take one-page screenshots and not just the entire website. Regarding your anxiety, you need to become conscious of the "place" in which you're generating it and see it as ineffective. Become aware of how you're doing it in your experience. Anxiety is a form of fear, hence related to an image of the future that you're unwilling to confront. Look in that direction, it may help. Remove a component of fear and it can't arise. Some mindfulness would be useful. Focus on your breathing, relax and contemplate.

An activity is not existential in itself--it is not an object and doesn't exist independently but as a relationship. Humans create communication, success, mastery, shame, boredom, sports, effectiveness, and society. What exists independently of activity?

@AndylizedAAY It was an offensive image so I hid it. Insults and inflammatory language are not allowed.

You're making up excuses for why one should lie and get away from imagined unwanted consequences. This is disempowering. We don't tell the truth because we want to get a lollipop (some form of self-interest, like wanting to be liked, being perceived a certain way, etc). Some caution and discretion are called for in certain social interactions. Depending on whether a relationship allows for brutal levels of honesty, those levels needn't be reached. Just become aware of this disposition. Lying makes you a liar! Take a look at the consequences in your experience. I suspect you're not being honest enough. There might also be some confusion as to what "telling the truth" means. It's more nuanced than telling everything you can to everyone, or sharing whatever comes up to your mind at any moment. It's a good book.

Read the book.

Interesting

@AndylizedAAY Avoid insulting

imo that is the sensible and powerful thing to do. Or just avoid the question in the first place.

You'd first have to become conscious of what another is, which I haven't done yet. "Other" may as well be a belief but since in my experience others seem to exist, I won't say that it's a belief. This domain is of deeply-held assumptions, not merely of superficial ones.

Doesn't that also produce harmful compounds in food?

Seems like we're bringing up and confusing a bunch of stuff. I'm gonna throw some crap around and see if it helps in some way. It's possible to do away with many of one's beliefs, perhaps even all of them. Most of what we assume isn't cognized. You've got beliefs that you know are superficial or not really true. Go for the most obvious ones. Many are disempowering and not needed. Some are useful, none is true (the truth itself). With beliefs out the way, openness and in turn effectiveness will likely increase in one's life since your perception won't be clouded with so many conceptual add-ons. This practice isn't about leading an empirical life per se, but about becoming free of beliefs, which includes recognizing them as such. Don't know about the connection between gut feel and belief. Don't know about that. Belief isn't the appropriate word there. Hypothesis, perhaps. I'd say that's good as long as you don't confuse it for a direct experience of the truth, which many people end up doing. Beliefs are used to cover up one's ignorance and lack of direct experience. Even when a direct experience is achieved, that doesn't guarantee your mind won't make up ideas about it. What needs to be done is changing one's relationships towards beliefs. Notice they can be useful tools but are never true. A belief is about what's true. I'd focus on contemplation instead of looking to adopt more beliefs.