Joseph Maynor

I'm glad you're participating on the Forum. There's been a lot of very smart people on here lately. We're gonna all learn from each other and need to stay open-minded, including myself. We all need to make ourselves open to being influenced by others. We're like artists that need to be open to influence, no matter how confident we come to believe we have the one right answer to everything. And I'm included in this as well. We need to be smart and humble at the same time, a paradox that requires subtle balancing.

What else is more fulfilling than helping someone? Don't double-down too hard on contribution though or you can turn this beautiful sentiment into an Egoic thing. Just live your life and allow yourself to help others in a very natural, intuitive way, without being neurotic or forced about it. And don't help others as a way to distract yourself from doing your own work. We all fall into that, so don't feel bad about it. Just become more aware of the trap of doubling-down on clinging to help others.

Nice! Being is not confusing. It's thought that's confusing.

What world are you in when thinking stops?

Sometimes you have to strip everything away before you can find out what most naturally fits best. One you transcend the Ego-Mind, then do -- and that doing will come from a much more grounded, less ignorant place.

How does it serve you to cling to the belief that you are God?

Is this true?

You're gonna attain this? So, you're striving to attain this. That's what you think Enlightenment work is; namely -- eventually you will reach this goal you've set in the future for yourself?

What are you going to attain?

When you're resting in being, are there any intellectual points of confusion?

Yeah, I'm loosening up. When you're serious-minded you see everything through the lens of seriousness.

Ok. I like that. You're not a serious-minded guy like some of us are plagued with. That's good man.

What is this supposed to mean? Does this mean look at this image and everything is ok?

Why would you assume a Zen Master is any different from you or any regular person?

Being doesn't need thought or a trip.

There is no lack of fulfillment in being. It's the Ego-Mind that wants to chase fulfillment in something other than being.

Zen master doesn't need psychedelics or thought.

What must one become and how does that relate to being?

Being is fulfillment enough. That's what Nirvana means and points to.

But you get wiser too don't you? How do you make sense of that within the context of what you're saying?

Be careful about doubling-down regarding Life Purpose. I see kind of a trap where the Ego-Mind clings to that life purpose in a way that can set up a block to being. But, at the same time, appreciate the paradox that you wanna do Life Purpose Work too. Be guided by your life purpose but don’t double-down on it with the Ego-Mind. There’s a balance. It’s like driving a car, you’re not gunning the gas all the time. It’s a more organic, subtle, loose guidance by your life purpose, not a white-knuckled, neurotic, hard clinging by an insatiable, striving, needy Ego-Mind.

What's with this word "deep"? Being is being. What does "deep" have to do with it? "Deep" is the mind looking for something. Also, how can you be Enlightened if Enlightenment is all about transcending the Ego-Mind? The Ego-Mind wants to become deeply Enlightened.

Is simply being wasting your life? Or is chasing significance wasting your life ironically? Think about all the time you're stuck in work and in your head rather than just being present. I think it's good to contemplate this issue of fear of a wasted life.