The White Belt

Poem: I was constantly lost, until I turned inwards; Then I realized I was lost, because there was never anyone to be found.

@Soulbass look at those colours. That certainly is art! @mudita amazing work. You have a talent there!

I tense up in places, and I throw my arms up in the air involuntarily. What does it meeeeeeeeeeaan?

@Martin123 @cetus56 Thanks amigos!

This is actually what I thought, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself. Maybe I'm about to 'experience' no-self but my ego makes a way of pulling my into the body. Any idea how to combat this?

@Loreena lol. Well I'm doing my thing, inquiring about my sensations, and then this thought comes that asks something like 'where is this space that all sensations arise into?' And then I have this strange little involuntary movements, including throwing my arms in the air and hyperventilating through my nose.

@Loreena why what?

@Dingus Fair enough. Thanks!

In the spirit of self honesty and identifying default positions, I am pretentious. I scoff at people who smoke and get really drunk and keep buying crap they don't need. I scoff at needy people, and I think I know more than others because I investigate these things encouraged by Leo to investigate that 99% of people don't. I think this makes me special. Please break my paradigms/beliefs/positions that I am better than the average person. Give my Ego a choke slam and then a gnarly arm bar. Thanks x

@Annetta Aw I like it. I love people always.

@Loreena - Pfft. I know way better memes than that. (Just kidding )

Hahaha! By the way people, this centre was a part of the New Kadampa Tradition. It's very popular.

I went for a talk at my local Buddhism centre. I went because it's nice to get these things in person, not just always on YouTube. The main points that the guy hit on during the talk were about seeing things less in a negative light and more in a positive light. He also said our job is to take the happiness we get from meditation and make sure we use it for everything we do, compassionately. I spoke to the guy after, I told him I read the noble eight-fold path and 'right view' was suggesting that we don't look at things positively or negatively, but exactly as they are, and that even by putting a positive spin on it is still operating under the illusion of thought. He responded with 'It depends how deep you want to go'. I don't want to go deep, just to go to truth. But he did say we shouldn't run away from negative things, just to see it and then to creatively make a positive from it, which is all fine. Then I told him if we are meditating for happiness, aren't we just using meditation as a means to something, which is ultimately the cause of our unhappiness to begin with, and I told him that I have read that meditation should be a goal-less practice, to which he responded it's important to know where one is and where one is going. He seemed slightly perturbed by my questions. Should I return to this centre? It felt more Tony Robbins that Gautama Buddha. Do these basic teachings have value? If I overlook them do I risk 'Zen Devilry'? Thanks.

It was a healthy skepticism. I asked my questions to the speaker politely. It just seemed like a positive thinking workshop, and didn't seem to hold true to the teachings of Buddhism. I'm just looking to not waste my time getting trapped into wishful thinking and dogma. Agreed, but yet like I say, even the Noble eight-fold path seemed to contradict him a little, so where are these beliefs coming from? (response to below quote, stupid phone) Thanks. This is one of the things I thought. It was a general public talk, it certainly can be used as a stepping stone. I used to go to these talks regularly actually. It's just now that I learned more did I pose questions.

@Leo Gura Imagine a six year old on your YouTube channel though. 'Mummy, can you please buy me 10 grams of psilocybin mushrooms please?!'.

Thanks a lot for the video. To be honest I don't understand everything he is saying, but I like the bit about the movie not affecting the screen as a metaphor for our lives not affecting pure awareness. Can you tell me how I can stay mindful and not go unconscious in my hectic job?

Makes me cry when he speaks.

4-7 hours? Jeeez, I wish I had that much time spare. Good job man!

He seems to be acting a little elitist. Probably hasn't been happy with his wife and is using spirituality as an excuse to distance himself from her. It's a little sad.

I'm so jealous of you guys who meditate outdoors. How do you do it? Do you just sit flat on the earth, or do you sit on something? I always have to prop my ass up with a cushion or something otherwise it's super uncomfortable.

I'm all done people. I hope you all got the love I sent to you. I certainly felt yours! It was a great meditation, I actually used a guided one by Mooji. Sort of a mix between meditation and self-inquiry. Couldn't stop smiling and laughing all through! Lovely.

@Dodoster dowwwn!

How is this done? Is it a gimmick or for real? Did I see a Resurrection here? It looks like a dead flower is re-blooming by not even a touch.

But the petals even fanned out..

@Prabhaker Are you enlightened?