RickyFitts

Do you actually know this through your own direct experience, or is it just something you've heard about?

I don't think there are hard-and-fast rules about it, it might be a viable path for one person but not for another - I've tried it but didn't feel it was right for me personally, but I can see how it could be effective for others. I do think it's a specialised practice, though, and it's going to be too intense for a lot of people; I think a gentler, more gradual process is going to be much more effective and harmonious in the long-run for the majority of people, but people in our culture often lack the patience and try to force things, and then end up paying for it further down the line (that's how it was for me, too, to an extent, I had to learn the hard way to be patient and not push myself too hard).

Depends on the person I think, some people's nervous systems and psyches aren't going to be able to handle the energetic charge if they have a lot of unprocessed trauma in their systems, and so a gentler, more gradual approach would be more appropriate for them. Hopefully Venant appreciates this, because kundalini energy can be incredibly destabilising if your system isn't ready for it.

Sounds like a great idea!

Means you meditate at least once a day to me. What does it mean to you?

I shared this essay by Ajahn Sumedho on the Four Noble Truths elsewhere, but I'm highlighting a particular section of the essay which speaks specifically about the logic of meditation - it can be found on page 41, under the subheading 'Allowing Things To Arise', and I think it's well worth a read for anyone who's serious about meditation: http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/4nobltru.pdf

Just realised I somehow posted a song by The Weeknd in error, I meant to post this one:

Very interesting! I know I've definitely felt the negative effects of pushing myself too hard, it only ended up setting me back in the long-run. I think it often stems from an unconscious belief in your own inherent inadequacy, which makes you feel like you have to strive and strain in order to prove that you are worthy.

So true. It initially came as a surprise to me to see that people in spiritual communities could be amongst the most unconscious folks you'll ever meet, the lack of self-honesty and self-awareness in some of these people can feel hugely frustrating and there's just no getting through to them. Spirituality can be just another thing people hide behind in order to avoid facing certain harsh realities.

@Liebestraum Such an interesting art movement and period of history, I never appreciated the dark side of Art Deco but it's a real eye-opener all right. ?

I know, I watched both series and the Christmas special through my fingers. ?

@Liebestraum Oh yeah, love Art Deco. Though the game 'Bioshock' has left me with the unshakable feeling that there's something fundamentally creepy about it, because that creepy-ass game was chock full of Art Deco.

Just read up about this on wikipedia, sounds very interesting!

Oh yeah, British literature's great too (think I did read one of Nabokov's novels years ago, too, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me). There's just something about American literature that vibes with me, maybe the fact I'm half-American on my dad's side has something to do with it (and/or maybe it's just the ubiquity of American culture that makes me feel like I'm intimately familiar with the place ).

Very interesting link, thanks!

Never read TGG, did recently read 'Tender Is The Night' by the same author though and I really liked that. Love John Steinbeck, too, I'm currently reading 'The Winter of Our Discontent'; I did start reading 'East of Eden' many moons ago but I didn't make it to the end, lost interest in the story (it's quite the doorstop, I did get a few hundred pages into it though). Might have to see if I can dig it out and give it a go now that you've brought it up, though. Though I fancy rereading 'Something Happened' by Joseph Heller first, haven't read it in years but I loved it the first time round. American literature's the best, imo.

I can't hack it, always just end up feeling like I'm about to cringe right out of my skin. I'm what you might describe as 'painfully British'. Didn't know Miranda and Prince Charles were in 'The Office', blimey.?

@Matt23 Good answer. ?

How do we benefit from mindfulness practice?

Mm... I think you only do the work to resolve those traumas when you've seen once and for all that there's no way around it, that that's what's required to be truly at peace. Until people reach that point, they'll just keep chasing high states and pushing away what feels troubling or painful.