The White Belt

My subtle addiction is my smart phone. When I am watching a film I am thinking about what is going on with my phone. I am thinking about Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp. I like the feeling when I get a 'Like' on something, I get a little hit of serotonin. I am on my phone too much, I can replace the time with more mindfulness. How can I break out of the chains of my subtle addiction?

@Leo Gura does your gf have a self-actualisation themed YT channel?

Only talking about self actualisation is not honesty. Honesty is giving your honest opinion when the opportunity presents itself.

Very useful for contemplation and deep meditation

I feel very mindful when I am very tired. Does anybody else get this or know why it would be the case?

@Natasha thanks :-)

@Natasha can you link this talk please?

Imagine you are going on a long journey. Only in this journey you are refusing to use any maps, any gps, any signposts. You are going to have an absolute mess of a journey, and will go back on yourself endlessly. Now imagine the same journey. This time you won't take your eyes off your gps and maps. What was the point? Even if you get to your destination, you have missed all the beauty of the journey, you failed to be mindful and you missed the brushing of the wind on your face, the glow of the sun. You might as well not have even began your journey. The journey is self actualisation. Balance my friend.

I don't think it's healthy. I think it's healthy to realise that all concepts are pointing to something less abstract.

Why do you believe that Buddhism has such an emphasis on kindness and compassion to others? Most of the noble eight-fold path is based around this. I'm reading a book by Thich Naht Hanh and he talks a lot about compassionately listening to others and speaking nicely to them. Is there anything else in Buddhism that talks specifically about why it's important on the way to enlightenment, and why do you personally think so?

Can you list the benefits and how much your happiness/peace/fufillment has increased since taking spirituality seriously (self inquiry/contemplation/using psychedelics)?

Hi all. I'm an actor and have been working on a theatre production for three months. We are almost there and ready to take it in front of an audience after this week which is final dress and technical rehearsals. My issue is that I feel very tired (probably due to stress), I am having nightmares, I am overthinking all that can mess up during the show, and I am getting resistance to the last minute work. Any advice? Thanks

@K VIL Thanks man. Hey, I'm not even sure I have the balls ;-). I watched a very good performance the other day and stayed after so I could speak to the actors. I told one actress about my self-doubt and she said 'Hey. We all have it'. X x x

So if we are working 35 hours in a regular job, we only have 5 hours we can devote to personal development, consciousness work, life purpose, otherwise we are overworked? Is this what you are saying here?

Hi. I'll start with some background on my practice. I started about two/three years ago but it was on and off, so then I decided to commit to a daily practice, and I haven't missed a day in about ten months. I sit for one session of 45 minutes in the morning before breakfast in the weekdays, or before I leave he house on weekends. But this last month my sittings have been so messy. I'm caught up in stories almost constantly, feels as though I'm barely mindful, I scratch as soon as I need to without being able to stop myself and I crick my neck. Just last month I could sit mostly still and I could count my breath and bring myself back from the mind chatter really well and it was more efficient. I think one thing is that I'm really excited and happy about the progress of my life purpose and this excitement is spilling into my practice. I'm mostly planning my lp during meditation. It's starting to feel like a bit of a waste of time. Is this normal after 10 months, is this apart of the growth? Is it good? Thanks.

Google: Do not cast your pearls before swine definition. Do not waste good things on people who will not appreciate them. This proverb is adapted from a saying of Jesus from the Gospels, “Cast not pearls before swine.” Jesus appears to be warning his disciples to preach only before receptive audiences. OMG I learned a great new philosophy. Thanks Jesus!

The man clearly watches Actualized.org. Probably even comments under a fake name..

@Leo Gura - who's your favourite actor and why?

@Leo Gura It seems to simplistic to say this. On one hand I do know what you mean. Millions after millions of people take the moralistic teachings of their religions and leave out all of the wisdom, insight, consciousness and enlightenment-based teachings, but with Buddhism the loving-kindness and compassion teachings are so very central. I don't know, but the Buddha himself seemed like such an intelligent person, with a real desire for people to awaken and not just philosophize about it, so I doubt he'll put many things in there for you to hide away from awakening, throwing no bones for people and saying 'if you don't want liberation, just be a kind person'. Why would he put the fat trimmings right in the meat of the teachings? Just doesn't add up.

Sorry but if you've started meditating a week ago. You're not having paranormal experiences. You're trying to feel like something is happening because you've read about it somewhere, and you want your experience to feel strange or trippy so you feel like others have reported feeling. Either your trying to make something happen, or your just a little paranoid. No need to do anything, just carry on with the meditation and stop trying to make it into something more special.

I want to be an actor. It seems like actors have to play with their own emotions a lot and feed themselves thoughts. Is this an anti-spiritual thing to do? Will it cause suffering and will it undo meditation progress? Can acting be a spiritual profession? If so, how? Also in terms of time, an actor needs to put so much work into what they do, and they need to work very long days. Any tips on how to find time for meditation during hectic schedules? Any help is appreciated.

@Maxx I'll try it, thank you. @Afonso Thank you for your suggestion.

@Jacobsen Thank you. @phoenix666 Thank you. @shahryar Thank you. I will look into something like an MRI or X-Ray @Shin Thank you. @ajasatya Thank you. I will see what adjustments I can make to my posture. @starsofclay Thank you. I will look into these shirts, failing other methods. @Arman Thank you. What kinds of specific back supports do you recommend?

Disclaimer: The purpose of this post is not for gossip, finger-pointing, or conspiracy Does anybody here have any experience with the buddhist tradition of 'New Kadampa' (NKT)? I ask because it is my local Buddhist centre. It is a very popular and widespread sect (or whatever you prefer to call it) founded by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Particularly popular in England. I also ask because they have had a lot of controversy for being 'cult-like' in there approach. Any dealings with them?

@Maxx Thanks for the info! Are you personally involved with NKT? I think I need to read some of the books. I flicked through a couple at the centre and there seemed to be a lot of prayers in them. To me, Buddha, and prayer, don't go hand in hand, but what do I know?