Emerald

@zazen It isn't just Zionism. That's just the Stage Blue reasoning that's used to get Israeli Stage Blue people on board with the barbarisms of the US and Israel. You need a story to sell barbarism to the people so that they can rationalize to themselves why it's okay. And Zionism is just the wrapping paper that's being used. It's similar to how the US used the idea of Manifest Destiny to create a pretty narrative around Native American genocide. That way, the average people could romanticize it and support it without focusing on the reality. The US also did the same thing with slavery and created a narrative that black people were 3/5 of a person and needed the white masters to civilize and employ and help them through giving them work. This enabled liberal-minded people of the time to rationalize to themselves why slavery is okay. There's always a narratives you have to feed the people to get them on board so that they don't have to question their own goodness and so that they don't challenge the state's agenda. But the people in the government are typically focused on maintaining power and control. And they may use the stories to rationalize their evils to themselves. I'm sure that many people in the Israeli government truly are 'dyed in the wool' Zionists. But I have no doubt in my mind that the US and most of the government officials aren't the slightest bit interested or invested in Zionist ideology. Though, they'll pretend to it to convince Americans that they just care about "securing a homeland for Jewish people" and "fighting antisemitism" or the variety of ways they justify it. But that's just to justify it to the people. The US and Israel have other power-based imperial agendas... which likely have to do with taking control of trade routes and interrupting the potential formation of an Arab empire (of many nations with a common tongue) by having an American ally right in the center of the Middle East. And the interests of the US are national defense, acquisition of resources, and maintaining it top imperial status... not Zionism.

I'm not saying that all countries with a barbarous foreign policy necessarily create better situations for the populace of the country. That's highly dependent upon how the relationship between the government and the people is structured. What I am saying is that a nation being powerful and imperialistic tends to be the unfortunate scaffolding that creates the abundance necessary for the populace to take their focus off of surviving and onto more achievement-based and self-actualization based pursuits that benefit their nation of origin. And this gives the proper infrastructure and frees up more individual human potential to be utilized towards greater levels of autonomy and societal development... in terms of human rights, scientific advancements, technological advancements, and more emphasis on higher pursuits in general. That said, if a government is very authoritarian towards its own people... that creates another survival concern that takes the populace's focus off off these pursuits. So, material abundance doesn't mitigate the issues of authoritarian rule. And Canada was only given sovereign status from British rule back in the 80s. So, in very recent history, it was a colony of an imperial power. And it's still currently got the backing of the British military and NATO. So, Canada is involved in imperialism... which is what I'm referring to as barbarism. And yes, it has conveyed benefits of abundance and first world status to Canada. But that's not to say that Iran, North Korea, or Somalia are less barbarous. The framework of the leaders in those nations are almost certainly less world unity focused than those in the most imperialistic nations with the highest levels of barbaric impact. So, you get a weird situation where the most paradigmatically developed up the spiral also create the most harm because they have more power. So, those three nations you mentioned just don't have as much military power or resources as an imperial power. So, it's accurate to say that their barbarism isn't as wide-reaching as the barbarism in more powerful imperialist nations. It's more contained. And they must ally themselves with more powerful imperialist nations to have more power. For example, Saudi Arabia is allied with the United States. Somalia is also a US ally. And North Korea is an ally to China. So, all of these nations do benefit somewhat from imperialism by connection to a greater military power. And that does likely confer some material benefits to living there that countries with no imperialist allies don't have access to. And that does potentially set them up for a bump in societal infrastructure development which can take more of the survival burdens off the populace... which can enable higher levels of personal development. (authoritarianism not withstanding as that is a major blocker to human potential that doesn't directly relate to scarcity or the level of societal infrastructure.) But people from poorer places (even in poorer places in wealthier nations) will tend to have a more conservative and "unkind to outsiders" kind of mentality because they are tuned into survival mode and feelings of scarcity. And authoritarian rulers will appeal most to people who are dealing with scarcity. So, there tends to be a direct correlation between scarcity and parochial thinking. And parochial thinking tends to lead to a more disconnected and barbaric worldview. But in the current state of the world, the way to alleviate your populace from the bounds of parochial thinking is to be a dominating force on the world stage. This is what I mean by something growing out of its opposite. You can't have the flower without the dirt... at least at this juncture in time.

Norway was once an imperialist nation a couple hundred years ago... so yes. It's just developed past that point now. It's why it's one of the most highly developed nations on the planet now. Denmark is similar only it stopped being imperialist in the 1950s. So, it's also grown past that stage of development, though more recently in human history. Ireland was an imperialized country... not an imperial nation. So, it would not be a good example of a more developed country if you go back several decades. They were oppressed and colonized by the English and all of the food produced in Ireland was taken by the English except potatoes. That's why so many Irish people died during the potato blight. There wasn't actually a famine. They just weren't permitted to keep their food. And there was a lot of civil unrest in Ireland for the longest time for this reason. And any development that's happened in Ireland is solely because the boot was taken off of their necks, and they were partially absorbed by the British empire which has certain developmental benefits. Also, it used to be the case in America that Irish people weren't even considered "white" because of their poor/oppressed status.

Yes, that's true. One thing to contemplate is that opposites tend to grow out of one another. The beautiful flower grows out of the dirtiest soil. In this case, "more developed nations" have a greater level of safety and resources which lends itself to a more developed and liberal minded populace that values things like peace, unity, and equality with a focus on human rights. And that's because scarcity isn't quite as big of an issue (though it still exists in varying degrees for the lower 20% of income earners... and it's getting worse) But the greater levels of safety and resources have come from the oppression and exploitation of other nations. And those other nations tend to be "less developed" because they have struggled for generations from more powerful nations imperializing them and stealing resources, waging war, using the populace for cheap labor, etc. And people in the countries are often held back from reaching their full potential because of the strong-hold that other nations have over them. And a lot of their time is eaten up by just trying to survive. So, the most powerful (that have the most wide-reaching expressions of barbarism) imperialist countries tend to be the best and most prosperous ones to live in... and there's a greater chances of self-actualizing and developing up the spiral. So... in the current state of things... the more barbaric a country is in terms of its foreign policy, the more opportunities for personal development its populace tend to have. That said, it's not like other nations wouldn't be just as barbarous with foreign policy. They just don't have as much power and resources compared to the US or other imperial nations. Note: I recommend checking out the book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" to understand more about why human societies have developed asymmetrically. It talks about how geographical factors that have led to the inequalities... like access to metal to make superior weapons and sea craft, the presence of more easily domesticated animals (and the development of immunity to germs that came with that practice), regular growing seasons in wider continents versus longer continents, etc.

Definitely. Super silly.

I don't think you're one of a kind in that sense... but uncommon nonetheless. Though I'm learning to find much more value in commonality in recent years. Difference isn't quite as impressive to me as it once was, so I don't find much inherent value in being one of a kind unless it's for an important reason. But I understand that we're different in that sense. I'm not trying to challenge your orientation to truth or argue you out of it if it's really in alignment with your truest deepest will. It could just be the game that you're here to play. But I'm genuinely asking you why that's your thing. I want to know why you care about Truth so much and why that's the main commitment of your life. In one of my medicine journeys, God was showing me how it plays different 'games' with different people as a means of alleviating suffering in its finite forms despite there being infinite suffering. (I'm sure this is just one angle of an infinitely complex dynamic) And it has all these complex escape hatches for its incarnations so that it can tolerate the sufferings of the infinite whilst still being able to know and love and be with all suffering for all of eternity. And it was showing me these monks. And it was showing me how the game they're playing with God is this really labor-intensive game of transcending the physical world. But it was showing me that there was an opposite dynamic game that it was playing with me... similar to the rich father and spoiled daughter trope. It even showed me images of Paris Hilton. And the game is that it weaves all these experiences (positive, negative, and neutral) and physical reality itself to give me as a gift from a state of separation and relationship where I play the role of the finite and it plays the role of infinite. But it was showing me that it plays lots of different games with lots of different people (and probably other incarnations as well, but that's just an assumption of mine). So, why is the Truth seeking game your game?

It's a great story. Duh! That's like asking "What's the good of watching a movie if it isn't based on true events?" To me, making your life about truth seeking is like being in the movie theatre trying to stay connected to the fact that you're in a movie theatre rather than surrendering and losing yourself in the narrative. I'm not judging if that's the way you want to spend your time in this movie theatre called life... but I'd much rather just watch the movie.

Question why you need to go through all these mental gymnastics to defend your dietary choices. My experience has been that you're far more likely to be coming up with these arguments because you agree with Veganism.... rather than disagreeing with Veganism. If you truly disagreed and didn't care about animals, you probably wouldn't be so pressed about this topic and trying to justify it so strongly through the lens of health. But here's the thing... Veganism is associated with greater levels of health and longevity according to a variety of studies. But as an ethical Vegan, I didn't even know that when I went Vegan. I thought the Vegan and Omnivore diets were equal up until a couple years ago when I started doing more research. I even thought at the very beginning that I could have potentially been taking a slight hit to my health. So, even if Veganism wasn't the most optimal diet (which I truly believe it is), I would still eat that way because those are my values. And living in integrity with my values is more important to me that eating the optimal diet. Luckily, I don't have to choose between integrity and health.

First off, you were making wild and unsubstantiated fear-mongering claims in your previous message about Vegan diets with not a single shred of evidence. So, I don't even see how you yourself wouldn't be guilty of "paradigm-limited thinking". And there's nothing holistic about the way you were thinking about things. So, stop trying to spin it like your framework is somehow some higher consciousness framework that transcends the scientific consensus and trusted institutions. You're just making false claims... and it's just nonsense to dress it up as anything other than making false claims. It's like talking to an irresponsible hippie about why they won't get a job and chip in for the rent. And they give some airy fairy answer about how they've transcended the typical ways of thinking about being human and that work just isn't in alignment with them. If your perspective negates the scientific consensus, then your perspective is not holistic by definition. But based on what you wrote, it seems you would agree that I tend to favor the more empirical scientific perspective regarding diet that's based on more real-world evidence and larger sample sizes... while you tend to favor personal anecdotes that you've heard from people who happen to specifically share your views? And you would also agree that your tendency is to subscribe to the general notion that having a non-ideology-related diet... and that the value of having a non-ideology-related diet supersedes the value of both ethical and health-related considerations with dietary choices? Those are my main take-aways from the sheet you produced.

Why is truth-seeking the most valuable thing to you? I mean, it sounds like "the right thing to do". But is a commitment to truth-seeking to the negation of worldly drives really in alignment with your truest deepest will? I also value accurate perception and seeking truth... and in the aggregate it has enriched my life and served me well (though it also creates some difficulties). But meaning is far more important to me than Truth is. And meaning can only come when the awareness of Truth is limited and the mystery is embraced. And my truth seeking that I do in this life always comes in service to meaning-making and living a beautiful life or helping others do the same. Honestly, you have all of eternity to be the Truth. So, why commit yourself to it as the end in itself? I'm asking this genuinely. But I firmly disagree that ground pragmatic solutions are the things that move things along. Anything that's rooted in the inception from logistical thinking will only maintain the same. Consider the level of wild dreaminess that it took to invent cars, computers, and airplanes. And think about all the political revolutions of history that have shaped the way that we do things. And this can be applied to all drivers of societal progress from breakthrough technologies to institutional shifts to paradigmatic changes, etc. While all of these things require pragmatism to bring about, it all begins with a new idea that has never been before. You won't change anything unless you awaken the dreamer first before any of the logistics are applicable.

@Leo Gura Unfortunately, the only way the world has ever changed is through people being super idealistic and pie in the sky about the possibilities and keeping their morale high as they organize and mobilize people. So, while you're certainly correct about the corruptions within the human species in our current state... being correct about the current state of things doesn't have the gas to move humanity towards future possibilities. And it would just lead to loss of morale and aiming too low. The leader should know it... but the leader should not share these truths to their followers. So, correct doesn't mean wise... especially not for someone in a position of power like yourself. Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon. And while it's true that humanity has a lot of corruption on the symptom level... everything is fundamentally innocent and well-intentioned at its core if you go deep enough. I've seen it myself in my medicine journeys. And it showed me the power of accurate diagnosis through unconditional compassion (which is where truth and love meet). It's only when the human will gets mangled and knocked out of alignment that we end up with such corruptions. And we've only just now started scratching the surface of what it means to heal and come into alignment with the truest deepest will. So, while you're correct about the current state of things on the symptom level... your "reality checks" aren't wise because they will just demoralize people and put them in a state of learned helplessness, where they won't even use the levers of power that they genuinely do have. Instead, they'll just sit idly in mental masturbation land where they can pat themselves on the back for being so smart and correct... because they know the truth.

When thinking of elites and ordinary people, this quote from the Bible comes to mind... "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3) There's a high price to pay for rising in the hierarchy and being 'elite'... paid in disconnection from humanity, nature, and the universe at large... and having the burdens of responsibility pressing down on you like the world on the Atlas' shoulders. There is a deep wisdom in embracing ordinariness. It is only wise to accept an elite role if your cause is something outside of your own egoic pursuits... and is something you're willing to suffer greatly for and bear tremendous amounts of responsibility in service of. The issue is that most elites become elite because they are running from shame. And they mistakenly believe that being elite will help them love themselves more. And this dynamic can be passed down generationally as well where elite parents try to pressure their children to be elite. Power is wise to approach with specificity... to only take what power you need to have the impact you want to have.

100%

@UpperMaster One thing that's important to realize about people who get swept up in these movements is that logically rebutting their views won't change anything. If logic would work on them in this avenue of thinking, they wouldn't have become Neo-Nazis in the first place. So, you don't actually need to know any of the logical counter-arguments. This is why debate is nearly useless. Becoming a Neo-Nazi (or getting engaged in any kind of hate group or cult group) is 100% emotional. People typically seek out these groups as a salve for deeper feelings of inadequacy and loneliness. And the ideology help them feel connected to others in that group and gives them a target to scapegoat and play out their vulnerable feelings towards. They also get to feel superior solely on the basis of group identity... which is a way to avoid feelings of inferiority and shame. And it's super common for people (especially young men) to get swept up in these types of movements. So, I don't recommend going the logical route. And I don't recommend trying to talk them out of it. You could give them the BEST arguments ever, and they would just entrench themselves deeper. And they can even use that to extricate themselves from those outside of the group to further embed themselves in the group. Instead, ask them personal questions from a space of genuine curiosity about what attracts them to these ideas to understand what it gives to them on an emotional level. And just keep asking questions. This can help them start to unpack their own feelings that led them to these rabbit holes in the first place. A little bit of self-awareness goes a long way. And given that you're not white and you're their friend, it would almost seem to me that they're bringing these topics up to you to try to get some kind of pushback or to try to resolve some cognitive dissonance with their worldview. The moment you start making statements and arguing them out of it, you're just activating their mental gymnastics further. But asking questions from a place of curiosity will give them space and have them searching themselves for answers. And that's where the unweaving can actually happen.

I still think you'd enjoy Twin Peaks. I can't imagine someone not enjoying it. It's very different from his other work.

You should watch Twin Peaks. It's a work by both David Lynch and Mark Frost. With David Lynch, it's hit or miss for me because it is so surreal and out there. I enjoy the weirdness and vibe of it. But sometimes the plots are lacking and are too out there for me to appreciate. But Twin Peaks (the first two seasons) are like the weirdness of David Lynch organized with the story-telling of Mark Frost. And it's very wholesome but dark and surreal at the same time. And it's interesting plot-wise and character-wise.

I did what @Shane Hanlon suggested. @integral Here are the results from Chat GPT after asking "Is this true?" in relation to what you wrote before. Here's my prompt... Is this true? "Yes, people go vegan or vegetarian through belief without realizing that they need to first figure out if veganism is suited for them, whether it even works for their genetics. The vegan culture does not explicitly explain that you need vegan genetics to be successful. They’re too busy in a fantasy land, ignoring all the people who fail or gaslighting failures. It is so easy to just say “they did it wrong” It is not true that you could just take a supplement. You need to get tested every 3 to 6 months. To make sure everything is working correctly, and you need to be aware of signs that things are not working early. To avoid damage. The risk is real, changing diet is not a game, malnutrition even for short period causes irreversible damage. But most of the time a vegan is too stuck in the vegan echo chamber so they’re going to prolong that malnutrition for years and years as they try to figure out how to make veganismwork. After all, they read multiple books giving them a great confidence. Sign that things are not working: bags start developing under your eyes, higher emotional instability, teeth grinding at nigh, erratic energy, overly sensitive, poor muscle recovery, premature ageing, you look like a skull, you have lost all the fat on your face but not other parts of your body, thinning of the skin, thinning of the hair, very low iron levels (women). If you’re in the right vegan subculture you’re gonna get some awareness, but it won’t be enough. The right vegan culture is one that doesn’t even promote veganism. It promotes a healthy diet strategically based on a holistic factor that consider someone’s genetics, culture, upbringing, gut microbiome, environment… and so on. The right diet is not ideological. The right diet does not have an agenda attached to it. If you “look like a vegan”, then you gotta get tested right away. The vegan look is a young body with malnutrition. Unfortunately, the body has reserves, and you can deplete yourself for a decade before really noticing it. And most vegans start in their 20s when they have the most youth to burn. Veganism is one of the most challenging diets that takes expertise that don’t exist in these vegan echo chambers. It is very hard to do this diet, correctly. When people understand at a higher level what veganism is, they then realize that it is not as simple as pushing veganism on all of the planet, and then reducing animal slaughter and animal suffering. They then realize the full magnitude of the problem. and that a real solution does not exist yet. That we still haven’t engineered a diet that completely avoids animal products, that works at scale for 8+ billion people. They’re still science to be done. If vegans had their way, they will create one of the worst health crisis in all of human history. Worse than the plague, worse than what pharmaceutical companies have done, worse than the increased cancer rates caused by every pollutant on earth. It would be catastrophic." ChatGPT said: ChatGPT The statement you've shared contains a mix of opinions, factual assertions, and some elements of exaggeration. Let’s break it down into key points to assess its truthfulness and accuracy: 1. Genetic Suitability for Veganism The idea that "you need vegan genetics to be successful" is misleading. While individual nutritional needs can vary due to factors like genetics, health conditions, and activity level, veganism is not inherently unsuitable for everyone. Many people thrive on a plant-based diet, and the key to success lies in making thoughtful food choices to meet one's nutritional requirements. It’s true that some people may have difficulty absorbing certain nutrients (like vitamin B12, iron, or omega-3 fatty acids) from a plant-based diet, but this is not the same as requiring “vegan genetics.” Nutritional testing and adjustments (including supplements when needed) can address these issues. 2. Veganism and Malnutrition Malnutrition is a legitimate concern for any diet if not properly balanced, including vegan diets. It's important to plan a vegan diet carefully to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients. The idea that veganism inherently causes malnutrition or irreversible damage is exaggerated, but it is true that without careful planning, deficiencies in nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids can occur. Regular testing (e.g., for vitamin B12 or iron levels) and supplementation (such as B12 supplements) can help address these potential deficiencies. 3. Supplements and Monitoring While the statement claims "it is not true that you could just take a supplement," it is generally accepted that vegans should supplement certain nutrients (such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and possibly omega-3s). Supplements alone are not a solution if the overall diet is not balanced, but they can be a critical part of a healthy vegan diet. The recommendation for regular testing (every 3-6 months) is a practical approach for individuals who are committed to a vegan diet to ensure they are maintaining adequate nutrient levels. However, not everyone needs to test so frequently—many people find that annual testing is sufficient. 4. Vegan "Echo Chambers" and Gaslighting The accusation that the vegan community dismisses failures or gaslights people who experience problems is a complex issue. Like any subculture, veganism has its own ideological factions. Some people may be overly idealistic about the benefits of veganism and fail to acknowledge the challenges or shortcomings of the diet. However, most health professionals who advocate for plant-based eating emphasize balance, nutritional awareness, and individualization. It's also true that any dietary change can require trial and error and should ideally be done with expert guidance. 5. Signs of Nutritional Imbalance The signs listed in the statement (e.g., bags under eyes, emotional instability, teeth grinding, thinning hair, premature aging, low iron levels, etc.) could indeed be linked to malnutrition or nutrient deficiencies in some cases, but many of these symptoms are not exclusive to vegans or plant-based eaters. They can also occur due to other health issues unrelated to diet, such as stress, sleep deprivation, hormonal imbalances, or underlying medical conditions. It’s important to consult a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis. 6. Veganism as a Challenging Diet Veganism can be a challenging diet to follow, especially if someone is new to it or does not have access to a wide variety of plant-based foods. However, it is also entirely possible to meet all nutritional needs on a vegan diet with proper planning, education, and possibly supplementation. The notion that veganism is inherently difficult or “expertise-heavy” is somewhat exaggerated. Many people around the world thrive on plant-based diets and have done so for generations (e.g., in parts of India, where a vegetarian diet is common). With the right resources and knowledge, a vegan diet can be both simple and healthful. 7. Global Scale of Veganism and the Future of Food The statement about veganism on a global scale and the implication that it could lead to a “health crisis” if pushed universally is an extreme view. While there are challenges to feeding 8+ billion people with plant-based diets (e.g., the need for sustainable agricultural systems), the claim that veganism could lead to a catastrophic health crisis is not backed by scientific consensus. In fact, many experts argue that a plant-based diet, if properly implemented and supplemented, could help address both health issues and environmental concerns. More research is needed, but there are growing efforts in sustainable plant-based food production, and veganism is being studied more seriously as part of future food systems. Conclusion While there are some valid concerns about nutrient deficiencies and the need for careful planning with a vegan diet, many of the claims in this statement are exaggerated or overly alarmist. Veganism can be a healthy and sustainable lifestyle choice for many people, but like any diet, it requires thoughtful planning, nutritional awareness, and possibly supplementation. It’s important to approach veganism (or any diet) with an individualized perspective, considering one’s unique health needs and circumstances. It’s not the diet itself that's inherently flawed, but rather how it is implemented and whether it is done with an informed and balanced approach.

@integral I'm going to need some real scientific data to take these claims seriously. So, please provide them and make sure that they're not conducted by industries with conflicts of interest. I especially need the study where they found that some people have "Vegan genes" and others don't. According the World Health Organization, you can get all of your nutritional needs met on a Vegan diet except B12, and it's an adequate diet for any phase of life. And according to various meta-analyses (collections that cross-reference many studies), a Vegan diet is associated with lower instances of all-cause mortality... and is especially associated with lower levels of heart disease (which is the #1 killer in America) and stroke. So, the Vegan diet is associated with longevity. I've been ethically Vegan for about 8.5 years, and I was never super health focused until making some recent changes and my energy levels have been normal all the way along. I have gained some weight over the years from not paying much attention to what I eat as long as it's Vegan (including unhealthy processed foods)... but I've recently switched to a 100% whole food plant based diet with no refined oils, refined sugars, or processed foods. And I feel very energetic since switching and have started to lose some weight. But the weight gain is the exact opposite of "looking like a Vegan" stereotype or "looking like a skull". Usually, people who look like a skull just have an eating disorder and they use Veganism as a means of justifying why they're "not eating ____ because I'm Vegan." But it's really just a way of concealing an eating disorder. I also know Vegans who have been Vegan for 15+ years. And I have a friend of mine who has never eaten meat in his entire life. And they aren't gaunt or unhealthy. So, you can't just make a lot of alarmist claims. You have to actually provide some real scientific evidence.

What does that mean? And do you have experiences of the "end of Veganism" for yourself?

I wouldn't get too caught up in complex philosophies about what love is. That will just take you away from your inner compass, which is the only compass you need. You have to figure out what feels good to you in a relationship and what doesn't. And your feelings were indicating to you that you were going over your own boundaries and you weren't getting what you need to feel good in a relationship. And being aware of this enables you to communicate these things to her. And you communicating those personal truths helps you and her get on the same page so that the relationship feels good to both of you. Also, a little bit of pushback and conflict is good for deepening intimacy. And it's quite possible that she may have decided to end the relationship because you weren't really engaging her emotionally in the relationship because you were hiding your feelings of resentment. And you were negating yourself in the process of suppressing your feelings. If you were to express yourself authentically and show up fully as yourself, you'd say, "Hey. I feel like this relationship is really imbalanced and I feel resentful about it." And without that, it probably felt to her like she wasn't even connected to you at all because she could sense you weren't really letting yourself show. I know that I really need a guy to be expressive about how he's thinking and feeling to feel a sense of closeness and intimacy or I feel lonely. And conflict and communication of incongruences is necessary to work through emotional rifts. So, what was probably happening is that an emotional rift was growing. And that rift grew and grew because you didn't acknowledge and communicate your own boundaries. Then, she probably felt lonely and decided to end it because of that emotional rift.

You're welcome and thank you! Yes, different people have different purposes and journeys. And my path is specifically a Feminine path that has to do with a lot of Yin values like limitation, contraction, finiteness, surrender, Earthiness, embrace of death, embrace of suffering, meaning, beauty, imperfection, embrace of the illusion, duality, repetitive cycles with no trajectory, being, etc. But the Feminine path is also a dualistic path, so it also includes the Yang/Masculine counterparts of the ones I mentioned above (respectively) unlimitedness, expansion, infinity, triumph, spirituality/intellect, eternal life, mercy, emptiness of meaning, utility, perfection, transcendence of the illusion, oneness, progressive trajectory, doing, etc.

Thank you. Of course, people are also influenced by the external. And that's what I think of myself as, as it comes to my children and to a lesser extent my husband. Just having a Vegan in the family and seeing me in a positive light can catalyze a deeper awareness in themselves. But truly it has to be their personal decision filtered through their own sense of sovereignty... or it won't stick. And they will go into conformity and rebellion mode relative to whatever is imposed from the outside. They will either conform, (but unsustainably while having intermittent binges on the restricted foods) to please mom. Or they will develop negative associations with both me, Veganism, and everything I represent and start eating the carnivore diet just to rebel. That's what happens if you try to impose on people who aren't choosing from a sovereign state. You can influence with the behaviors your modeling, but not impose. The same is true of the way that I went Vegan. I had to be in the right internal state to make that shift. And 6 months prior to going Vegan, I had never even considered it in the slightest. I knew I would never be Vegan. But my internal state aligned and put me in a state where I was susceptible to that change. My tendency has been to expand my awareness and be really spreading myself thin trying to come up with ways to "save the world". But it expends my energy in ways that are ineffective. In an Ayahuasca journey that I took, the medicine revealed to me that my life purpose was mercy. And it brought me back to all the memories of how that purpose had always been pulsing through me as my truest deepest will. And it brought me back into a memory of being 3 years old and seeing a commercial about people who were starving and to donate to help them. And I'd never seen one of those kinds of commercials before. And I started to cry and frantically said "I'll give them my food." And that's been my pattern... be aware of suffering I have no control over. And then, empty my own cup and spin my wheels about things I have limited power to influence or control. It's part of my problem with God complex of feeling so responsible for all the suffering in existence. So, it's a new thing that I'm doing to deliberately contract my aperture of awareness of suffering because all I'm doing is creating suffering for myself. And my medicine journeys have been all about mercy through limitation. It even showed me that the reason why I exist is because a part of God's consciousness was suffering too much with the awareness of infinite suffering and infinite knowledge and infinite love. I went through an ego death experience and there was no Emerald left. And it was just God's consciousness (the same consciousness that has been there my whole life). And God's consciousness was knowing and loving all things in all of existence that had ever been or would ever be at the deepest levels possible. And it was suffering all sufferings and grieving all griefs infinitely. And the points of awareness kept expanding infinitely in every instance. And then, the point of consciousness split from God... to where one consciousness became two. And that spit of consciousness was tended to by the rest of the consciousness. And this point of consciousness tapped out and chose mercy from the infinite. And then, I was reborn back into the ceremony area. And that's when it showed me my life's purpose... which is mercy. Specifically mercy through limitation and finiteness. But I have struggled with giving that mercy to myself, because there is this tendency to expand my levels of awareness further and further. And there are these grandiose God Complex-ish tendencies to try to alleviate all the suffering. But another component of these journeys is to recognize mercy and suffering as two sides to the same coin. A world without suffering is a world without mercy. But from another angle, it is valuable to minimize suffering as much as possible. So... it's like having a God-mind but a human-heart. And my human-hearted part of myself much contract and limit itself... or I just keep pouring from an empty cup as I've done my whole life because of the God complex and feelings of infinite responsibility. So, I have to really practice the serenity prayer and differentiate between what's in my power to control and what isn't. And it's trusting the universe, God, and other people to be able to handle what is not in the scope of my power. So I'm really practicing exercising sovereignty over widening and narrowing the aperture of my awareness as it comes to knowledge and suffering. I'm at a time where I have to let go of my neuroses about suffering and bringing a lot of energy and power back to myself. And I have power over what I eat.... what I do... what I say. And that's about it. I'm not even watching anything news or politics related at this juncture in my life. And as I fill my own cup, I can gain somewhat in my scope of power to help. Right now, my own cup is too empty to have maximum impact. All of these things are currently beyond my scope of power to impact. Though I'm sure I could find a few small levers of power from where I currently am that I'm not presently using. So, these are the types of things that I have to practice the serenity prayer with because I realize that I cannot control any of these things... and trying to will just waste my power and energy on spinning my wheels. I just have to practice trust and surrender to what is beyond my scope of power and responsibility. Focusing on these are all in the range of the "save the world" infinite expansion neurosis that I've had all my life. But I'm actively practicing contraction and limitation... and only putting my energy towards what's in my scope of power. And through doing this, I will become more powerful and potent... and gain more levers of power to have a wider impact. And a big part of this is to detach from outcomes and be okay with both life and death... and to be okay with both mercy and suffering... while doing what's in my power to promote life and mercy.

It could be that. Though I would expect a lot of Carnivore and Paleo dieters in that context. I've noticed that techy business-oriented people tend to go for those types of diets. Those seem to be more in fashion.

Thank you and you're welcome That makes sense that the approach doesn't work for you. A tendency that I've struggled with is the tendency to be super emotionally aware of all the sufferings of the world... over which I have very few levers of power. And there's been this tendency to hyper-fixate on suffering... usually human suffering but sometimes non-human animal suffering as well. And this has led to this expending energy in a way that doesn't get traction... and just creates a lot of distress for me because my power to create mercy is limited. And I suffer in the spinning of the wheels and getting little traction. So, I've been deliberately imposing limitations and boundaries on myself when it comes to awareness of suffering. My boundary is that if I have no lever of power to impact things, I will tune out from the suffering. And I will only be aware of the suffering in the degree that my awareness leads through to a tangible benefit to the suffering. Right now is a period of time where I need to pull all of my energy towards myself and my family. So, I am deliberately contracting myself... instead of engaging in my usual patterns of being the single tablespoon of peanut butter trying to spread itself over every slice of bread in existence. The way that I contend with allowing others sovereignty while animals are denied that sovereignty is to recognize the limitations on my own power. Currently, reality runs in a way where most human beings regularly consume animals. And while a part of myself is upset by that and would want to make that stop by any means necessary, I understand that these shifts must happen from the inside out... not the outside in. Otherwise, they won't be sustainable. And I see that putting pressure on it from the outside will be counter-productive. The best I can do is to help compassionate people become conscious that their actions aren't matching their values. So, it's less values focused and more awareness focused. And my understanding of the progress that's being made is one that's 10 steps forward and 9 steps back. We lose a lot of wisdom as we go but we also gain more. But there's a lot of contrast between the positive and negative. The thing that we're moving towards is a more united world. And while some tribes may have had an advanced sense of compassion and heart-wisdom, they would tend to be wiped out by other tribes and nations that lack in the heart-wisdom that don't feel connected to the harm they're causing. And that becomes a problem that heart-wisdom has always been met with hostility and dominance by outside domineering forces that are far less wise. This was a problem with hunter-gatherer groups that eventually got absorbed into tribes. And it was a problem with tribes that eventually got absorbed into nations. It will likely also happen when our nations get absorbed into the world. And this will be a problem until we have a collective world identity, where there is no one outside of us. At that point, we can safely live from the space of heart wisdom without being assailed by the forces of external dominance. And to do this, we must first come together... which is part of what's happening. Eggs are breaking to make and omelette. This part of the process is always chaotic, messy, and even violent. And the heart-centered forces will likely once again be conquered by the unwise domineering forces to be united under authoritarian rule by the most disconnected among us. It's just like Rome was united through conquering and domineering... and lots of suffering and bloodshed. But once that happens, the barriers will erode more and more until unity is possible. And we will also learn more and more about collective healing. So, the suffering is part of journey towards mercy. And mercy and suffering are two sides of the same coin. Out of suffering awareness comes. And from awareness, mercy is born. But to render the armor obsolete, there are many ideological, technological, and paradigmatic changes that have to happen. And there is a lot that we have to collectively understand and integrate into our ways of rearing children and running society. And I see that it's happening. Now, with the "we don't have centuries" comment, I think you're referring to climate change. I see that as a problem that will quickly self-correct in a few generations through the drop in the human population due to lower birth rates. There will be some side issues with this that will impact our human systems for several decades or perhaps a half a century or so. But it will likely slow or solve that problem.

It's apt that it's Vince McMahon on the gif. But to answer your question, it's deeply frustrating to me. I can feel a lot of rage because I can easily stand in the shoes of another being and imagine myself on the receiving end of their superior power and ignorance. But there are reasons why people tune out from their heart-wisdom that I have had the good fortune to see very clearly in several of my Ayahuasca journeys. Everyone is just a really sensitive vulnerable child deep down. And becoming callous and developing all sorts of intellectual and emotional armor is what seems to keep them safe... or perhaps did keep them safe at some point in their lives. So, I see the solution to the majority of our macrocosmic problems as coming from an ignorance to how to render that armor obsolete. I may not see it in my lifetime, but we are just now scratching the surface of how much collective healing we can do. And once that healing ripple gets going (which it already has been truthfully) we will start to naturally manifest a more compassionate societal structure and raise more compassionate children. But it may take some centuries to really see the cumulative effects of these shifts.