Natasha

We 'follow' the body for the same 'reason' an ant 'follows' its body - an automatic/instinctive/conditioned happening. If ants had human brain, they would think they are building something meaningful what in reality is just a pile of dirt.

@kieranperez It's hard to tell what to do in your situation without knowing your condition and history. Anyone would benefit from daily meditaion and wholesome diet/lifestyle, though. That's always a good start.

The woman was dependant on the anti-anxiety meds. I'm surprised the article didn't report the effect those kinds of drugs have on one's brain and the side-affects of stopping taking them. According to the article Megan had battled mental illness long before the retreat. At the retreat the meds were not allowed, after day 7 she started to get disoriented, but chose to continue for 3 more days. She left the place suicidal while other meditators empowered and restored. The drugs/stimulants warped and altered her mind to the degree that prolonged quiet peaceful state of being became deadly to her. The giant psych drug business is behind her suicide, not a meditation retreat, IMO.

@d0ornokey Work on your personal boundaries and discernment... meaning, you either tell him to back off and let you be, or to go bye-bye. It's not friendship when two peope try to one-up each other, it's rivalry.

@nahtanoj A friend of mine of Indian origin encouraged me to go talk to a priest at a local Hindu temple when I shared with him about my shift. He said I had a gift and that without a guide I'd get lost or take on a wrong path. I respectfully declined, for the same reasons Leo mentioned in his posts above. I'm open and curious to learn about different schools, but would not join any of them. Consciousness work and deepening of awareness does not require following any particular group, it's simply a matter of sitting down and do the work in solitude, and I don't need a Hindu priest or a Zen master to tell me that.

Or as Leo put it "We are nothing, but as special something"

@Toby I agree. It's when it becomes ritualistic (as Afonso witnessed at the gathering) and following dependent and attached to the teacher/guru, that's when it's a matter for mindful re-evaluation. That being said, I have deep respect for Mooji and listen to his teachings regularly myself.

Though Mooji is listed among personality cults, I still find his satsangs deeply insightful. Cults attract insecure, neurotic people to form a following. It's ok to check it out, don't become overly dependent or attached to any teacher/guru, though.

That is how one evolves from a Butt monkey to a Majestic Ape these days

"Every breath you take, every move you make, every bond you break, every step you take...I'll be watching you"

Goodbye My Lover: a psychopath's love song "Cos I saw the end before we'd begun, Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won..."

@Mastral 'No-self' is not achieved, it's recognized/realized. I had my shift while doing this guided self-inquiry:

I need to go to the gym today, don't feel like going though ...would rather stay at home and read the forum But gonna do an emotionally difficult thing , get my butt off the couch and hit the gym and sauna. Yeah!! I know I'll feel better afterwards See ya all in a couple of hours.

@John Iverson Get to know her. If she is open to share your passion for spiritual growth and personal development, then great. If she is not, it might not work out, cos you're not going to be happy with someone long-term who thinks you're weird by doing all this consciousness work. Having a like-minded companion/partner is very important on this kind of journey.

Yes, faking is a sign one lacks emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent people are authentic and genuine.

Psychopaths might have low, average, or high IQ, but they ALL lack in emotional intelligence.

@2000 Sounds like he went through what you're going through. Check it out

Lisa Cairns and Tony Parsons communicate well this kind of thing. Check this out

@krazzer I got awakened while doing Leo's guided self-inquiry in his Creating the Experience of No-Self video about 2 years ago and the shift was permanent too. Even when I learn something new about 'enlightenment' and stuff, it doesn't change the state or add anything to it, only to the conceptual knowledge base. If I threw all the concepts away, the being would still be here, infinitely. Thank you for sharing.

@Joseph Maynor I try to make my gym routine consistent yet fun - 20 mins cardio, 30 mins muscle toning, 10 mins stretches. Then the best part - sauna 10-15 mins in 180 F dry heat. Twice a week helps keep in decent shape.

@Shin Here in Florida there are plenty of mosquitos too, bug screens keep them out, though. All my window and back porch are screened for bugs. You can also use Essential oils to repel them http://info.achs.edu/blog/green-cleaning-10-essential-oils-that-naturally-repel-insects

@Joseph Maynor These sound like great practical ideas, I will definately try them out. Thank you

@Shin Don't they use mosquito screens where you live?

@Joseph Maynor I am naturally a number person, I work in accounting and love it. When I was growing up, however, I wrote poems and short stories and was even published twice in a local periodical in my country. So I already have a bit of experience from a long time ago. I jot down all the time (I have sticky notes written all over them in my top work drawer). My issue is putting all this random stuff in organized context to make it presentable for reading. Another thing that holds me back is English being my second language, it's not perfect. Ayla tells me not to overthink stuff and to just let it flow. As they say, practice make it perfect. 30 mins - 1 hr daily blocks would probably be a good start. I do have time in early mornings and in the evenings. The muse will catch up eventually, I hope

I suck at writing, but people keep telling me I need to write. So I've been thinking about starting to practice and see what comes out of it.