Forestluv

@SQAAD You are conflating relative and absolute. I grew up with a very loving golden retriever. She would love a child with Down Syndrome just the same as a child without Down Syndrome. She made no distinction that one child was “perfect ” and the other child was “imperfect”. She Accepts and Loves both children as Perfect. How would it feel to tell a child with Down Syndrome they are “imperfect”? I couldn’t do it. It just doesn’t feel right to me. They are Perfectly what they are and I would love them however they are.

In the groove, rolling along. . . No guardrails needed.

Just Be

@knakoo I would use the same amount, or slightly less, that worked well for you before and if sensitivity has increased, then reduce dosage. As well, I’ve found more isn’t always better. I’ve had some profound insights / experiences on light trips.

That’s what she said. . . ?

I would get in touch with that direct experience of the present moment, rather than getting immersed into the thoughts stories that follow. To me, it sounds like you are off balance toward groundless and could use some grounding.

I would spend more effort in what is actually happening now than worry about what might have happened in the past. I think you are hyper analyzing and that’s the biggest fish to fry. It’s as if your favorite futbol team missed the first shot on goal in the first game and you are hyper analyzing that missed shot and are filled with worry that your team will lose the rest of the games and finish in last place. It’s just one shot on goal. Come back to what’s happening in the game right now.

@SQAAD I concur with what @Nahm wrote. I did not intend to suggest we are "doomed". I don't think we can do a complete reset by snapping our fingers. It takes some work to deconstruct and release - yet it's not some insurmountable task like trying to hike Mt. Everest in your underwear while playing a kazoo.

It's so hard to get through to those darn science guys. . .

Haha. Yea, I tried to duck the question since I could sense it would derail the conversation. I first said I was a "mystical scientist", yet that didn't go over too well. I like your answer and will try it if I'm in that situation again.

Hmmm, that's not the conclusion I would make from it. I would look at it another way. . . More like exercise. Having a lifestyle with regular exercise is healthy (and likely also helps de-condition the mind). Exercise can become a lifestyle. People walk, hike, run, ski, play soccer, lift weights, ride a bicycle etc. It's not like they think "I have to get in exercise. I guess I should go for a bicycle ride so I don't turn into a fat slob". Rather, they just do it - like second nature. It's a beautiful day and we are on vacation, let's go for a hike! Exercise is a chore for some and a delight for others. Likewise, awareness of conditioned personality dynamics can be a chore or a delight. Once a mind gets the hang of observing itself, it becomes second nature. It's not like "I better go sit on a cushion and deconstruct these awful unconditioned psychological dynamics so I don't turn into a fearful loser my whole life". Rather, you just do it. During the day stuff arises and it's like "whoa, where did that come from? How does that dynamic work and how is it serving me? How interesting. Fascinating".

@CreamCat I haven't used a recliner, yet I'm past middle-aged and extended meditation sessions do not feel healthy for my back. I've found I can go enter meditative "spaces" during yin yoga - and as a bonus, it's actually healthy for my back. Yet, it might not resonate with others.

@Leo Gura Yea. It also seems like openmindedness can be really tricky as well. After I wrote that passage describing my wonderful open-mindedness, I realized I was seeing her perspective from my perspective. From her perspective, it seems that I was an odd scientist bastardizing and diluting the essence of pure spirituality. That it totally reasonable from her perspective. I really liked your metaphor of drawing images in front of a camera. One needs to draw it as a mirror-image for the other to perceive the correct orientation. For example, when you motion upward growth on a chart, you do it backwards. Quite often, I draw my drawing and it makes complete sense to me. Yet seeing it from another perspective requires a new level of openness and to draw the picture to that perspective takes practice and skill. I actually loved Sedona. I was there years ago when I was Orange-Centered. It was a very different experience this time around. The resonance was much stronger. And tripping in a natural energy vortex was quite "enlightening". Regarding what you wrote about epistemic foundations. . . I don't have any formal training in epistemology, yet you suggested that I am "getting it". Is it possible to "get" the underlying essence without formal study of epistemology? Perhaps through related side routes or direct experience? For example, a lot of your videos probably have this essence without referring to it as "epistemology". As well, could a person have realizations in this area during contemplation? . . . I'm just wondering if I am missing out on something of value, yet I also don't want to have to work my way through a bunch of philosophical / intellectual weeds.

To love another so deeply you melt and become love To appreciate creativity so deeply tears appear in your eyes To explore ones emotions and connect to others in deep and meaningful ways To see beauty in diverse manifestations To be in awe of your own right-brain activity To feel inter-connection between one's mind, body and spirit To frolic and laugh with others beyond words To allow the intellectual mind and analysis to rest and fully immerse oneself in the beauty of the moment These are all core components of Green. The depth and quality of the human experience is sooo much deeper than Orange. All those youtube videos of Orange demonizing Green is giving you a distorted view of the essence of Green. Orange is in the head. Green is in the heart. Take the long journey from your head to your heart. Immerse yourself there. The embodiment of Green is absolutely wonderful. . . My transition out of Orange was much easier than my transition out of Green. After my first few direct experiences of Green, I was like "Wait a minute, I get to trade in Orange for this? Sign me up!". It's a no-brainer.

I would say that segments of culture recognizes and values various forms of intelligence. Yet I would agree that many cultures, in general, define and value intelligence as IQ-related. And reality certainly recognizes other forms of intelligence. Reality recognizes creative, intuitive, empathic, social and emotional modes of intelligence, just as it does cognitive intelligence. Develop these modes and the mind-body's relationship with reality will be very different.

What is your direct experience when you are with other people or out in nature? What is the actual direct experience prior to any of the thought stories? My mind-body is highly empathic in it's direct experience. The story of Solipsism is sooo far away from the direct experience. I have had a few encounters with Solipsism and my mind-body finds it disturbing a- it does not resonate with that story at all.

I'm not sure of the proper technical use of the terms "crystals" and "powder". They both kinda look similar to me, yet I haven't taken a real close look at each. The HCL form will easily dissolve in water. Freebase will not.

HCL Is plugged. Freebase is smoked.

@The Don Your orientation will cut down your pool of quite a bit. It sounds like you don’t want to be in a relationship that becomes inter-twined, yet you also don’t want to a purely solo path. My sense is you also would like to have something with depth, rather than a sex-based fling. I would have a similar orientation, most of the women I met desire a more inter-twinned relationship. There’s nothing wrong with that, yet it appears to be how most people are orientated. I’ve also met women who are oriented toward open relationships / polyamory. This takes her focus off me and allows me solitary time, yet I end up developing feelings for the person and I’m just not oriented toward polyamory. Another option is to find someone with a similar orientation. Someone who is also oriented toward monogamy, yet also is very independent and values her solitary time and time with others. Ime, this is a very rare find. I’ve found only found a couple women that are naturally oriented like this. Other issues that may be present are fears of intimacy and commitment. I’ve worked through these and have been in very intimate and committed relationship. Yet the underlying orientation remains; a desire to spend a portion of my life solo and a portion of my life with her. Not fully inter-twined and not fully parallel - yet generally closer to parallel than inter-twined.

@Lister You describe some nice realizations here. It can feel unstable and groundless to the mind-body. With time, things can get integrated and embodied, giving a sense of grounding. Greater awareness of the personality construct is revealed and transcended into areas of “transpersonal” being. You are entering deeper areas few humans explore. For me the growth was not linear and I needed a lot of practice and nondual videos to get some sense of grounding. During this time, I resonated to heart-centered teachers that seemed grounded and gentle. At times my mind/body just couldn’t get into the nondual UFC octagon to get it’s ass kicked again. This was certainly helpful at times, yet too much of that became really unhealthy to my mind-body. As the self lost it’s control over the narrative, I also practiced various forms of self love. It seems paradoxical and counter-intuitive, yet that was resonated and I went with it. . . A balance between the self getting it’s ass kicked and self-love. . . Over time, new forms of wonder, curiosity, genuineness, love and appreciation of life began to emerge. It’s beautiful.

@now is forever To relate the concepts: I would say what IS is limitless. A mind needs to introduce a limiting idea to create an illusion of limitless. I would not use the term “potential” because this term is highly suggestive of a timeline and a movement in time. Relatively speaking, the term “manipulate” has value in many contexts. And I use that term at times. Yet it is part of a thought story in an effort to make sense of one’s reality.

The term “vs” was not the best term for me to use. I think a better term is “and”. There is a dualism of perfect/imperfect and a dualism of potential/limits. As well, there is a higher order dualism between perfect/imperfect and potential/limits. In it’s truest sense ISness cannot be “manipulated”. The idea of manipulating ISness is just a human idea within the construct of an illusory timeline. Similarly the idea of “making decisions” is also an idea. These ideas are certainly interesting, practical and a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Yet as well, what IS, IS - regardless of any ideas the mind has about manipulating ISness and decisions. Those ideas themselves are ISness.

@Conrad Welcome back ♥️ ?

Ahhh, very nice. Yes I have. Insights into inputs prior to birth were revealed in a sensory deprivation tank and are integrated into the view presented above. My brain-body has reached deep relaxation in SD tanks. I’m feeling like I’m due for another float soon.