philosogi

I can't find the words to describe how profound this talk is. Listening to it (or journeying with the flow of it) is like a meditation unto itself.

You'll have to get smarter than the concept of pick-up. I'm imagining an approach where the thought process goes like this: life is a game* I will play this game to the best of my ability Part of this game is relating to people (in your example, women) I will do my best at relating with people There is no shame in this. If in this purity you relate, you can "have" anyone though you won't want to "keep" them. If you can actively "cold" approach people (I have an issue with this terminology as it implies that the interaction itself is cold. Who wants to have a cold interaction?) in a truthful way, giving all the people you interact with the respect that as part of the same medium (substance/void/oneness/you, etc) , they "deserve," you have a chance to give pick-up a better name than it has. No one likes to be used. *A game to be played in full consciousness and integrity, otherwise not really awake

I just discovered Shakti Caterina Maggi, (who I am certain has awakened and hasn't fallen back asleep) and found the exact message about relationships that I have been looking for, consciously and unconsciously, forever. I wanted to share it with anyone who is interested.

@DnoReally Empty Cloud - The Autobiography of Xu Yun [pdf]

Craving love & attention.

Even Facebook?

Biggest barrier: wounded ego. Paradoxically that is also the door.

I'd say you'd get more value watching people like Krishnamurti, Eckhart Tolle, Alan Watts for free on YouTube. They all give good tips on meditation. Could you try meditating in a park? Edit: misread your sentence. I get that you don't want to be scammed or have your time wasted. But going on the spiritual/enlightenment path leading with the concept that there will be super positive effects happening as a result of your meditation is like, as Alan Watts says, "the tail wagging the dog." You will continue to be frustrated if you think the path is like a vending machine. It doesn't appear that direct to the ego. Meditation should not be a chore, but an end in and of itself. Sitting is just one meditation. You must also learn how to hold contradictory ideas. Leo talks about this a lot. So meditation should be an end in and of itself, but it is also a tool. At the same time, you must not think it's a tool. Anything in life can be a tool you can use for awakening. Like, being conscious of the way you walk, how the weight distributes on which part of your foot. Or when you're brushing your teeth, feeling where each bristle touches the intersection between your tooth and your gums. Anything can be a meditation.

It was all you :* What does self-efficacy mean?

I get red flags when there are absolute claims made like this.

@Revolutionary Think Too many concepts.

It's been dynamic/alternating for me. Sometimes I'll focus on the mind more, and then when I feel like I've given enough attention to the mind/ego, I go towards spirit. I think I'm coming to terms with not always having to be consistent/one way. I guess anxiety often used to drive my decision-making (aka mind would hold more weight), but this summer I'm dedicated to trying to be motivated by excitement and energy rather than anxiety. I'll try to listen to the excitement/energy by embracing/letting go of fear. Will see how it goes!

Did you see any difference when you started to notice your self-talk? (I found that when I was able to see my self-talk for what it was (A) judgmental, B) generated by the mind, C) essentially meaningless, D) a self-fulfilling prophecy if I chose to give it credence), I was able to pull regular life more out of Deficiency Cognition and more towards Being Cognition.)

And what brings you back to presence? What draws out your mind, clouding presence? (yes time is an illusion, but humour me plsthx)

But like, what sentences do you say to yourself? For example, when I started noticing my self-talk it was like: Me: ugh, I'm so stupid Me: idiot! I've ruined everything Me: I suck. Me: No wonder no one likes me.