Truth Addict

@Eric Tarpall I have another view on this matter: What you want is what you need, and what you need is what you want.

Yes, only if it was't a thought in the first place.

@Annoynymous ?

@Annoynymous If you find my advice not helpful, throw them in the trash. I'm fine. I hope you find peace really soon. For the record, I've survived in a city where war had taken place for over 6 years, if that's what you consider trauma, not to mention all the dangers of it, or how I and my family survived a drone attack and lots of mortar attacks, and several bombing attacks, and other dangerous situations. I used to live in a big family and I used to have a lot of friends, and now most of them are immigrants, out of my country, and some of them are dead. And that's nothing, I haven't even started yet. So, in conclusion, I don't know what you're going through, and I'm sure it feels like hell, but that's my experience, and only surrendering and acceptance will get you through. Good luck! I do recommend these two videos: If you feel like it's too hard and painful, that's pretty normal, labour has never been easy.

Maybe at least they learn how to become ignorant like myself. And therefore find resolution.

@kieranperez No. It’s actually "that" simple. And the more we think about it, the worse it gets. You see? The more theory we accumulate on how to release trauma, the more obstacles we create to get there. Thinking is the single biggest obstacle to releasing trauma. So, how is creating a problem going to resolve it? It all boils down to this: trauma is a thought or a negative sensation, or a combination of both. The "methods" are no more than a lubricant, but the true work is questioning to death whatever thing you want to resolve. Questioning is the key. No method and no one can do it for you. Only you.

I was trying to make a point that trauma is not a thought, but rather it's hiding between thoughts. The guy was asking how to release trauma, and I was trying to point him to the source of his traumas. The trauma must be felt in the present moment as some kind of negative feeling or sensation, and if it's not present, then why even trying to release something that doesn't exist? I believe that the trauma he's trying to release is a mere thought at the most. Sure, it can be deeper, and other methods can help, but that's how I deal with it and it works for me. And yet, they can show how much trauma one could have possibly acquired over the years. In practice, traumas end right after the traumatic events end. What's left is just memories, and those are what makes one suffer. So, a good indicator for spotting one's wrong ways to deal with trauma is their own thinking. The ego protects itself from trauma by creating walls of thoughts and feelings, layer after layer, until one is completely convinced that external events could actually affect the Self. And for one to release trauma, they need to break down those walls, and go back to the source. There's peace.

Then you clearly want happiness, which is equivalent to peace of mind. Sorry to break it to you, but the reason you're not happy is because you want to change. You haven't accepted reality as it is yet, therefore you are swimming against the stream, and therefore life seems hard to you, and change seems impossible, yet necessary. You see the irony? You want to change something to become happy, while in fact what you need to do is to just stop thinking and stop worrying, and pause for a moment and try to enjoy whatever is. The change you're seeking is the stopping of seeking. The thing you want to change is the thing you need to stop trying to change, and rather try to accept it as it is. Try to become more present, try to become more mindful of your breath, breathe deeper and from your mouth through the belly, meditate, try shamanic breathing, etc... But most importantly, ask yourself: why am I not happy? And keep with this question until you hit rock bottom. And then, after you become so at peace, happy and aligned with reality, any kind of change will become effortless.

I don't know. To me, the past is mere memories (imagination), so, in my first hand experience there's no trauma.

@Preetom nice! ? I'll add a fifth realisation:

@SoonHei The reason why you're asking this question is because you think (believe) that you don't know the answer. You think that being this is good and being that is bad. But who said that? That’s where you want to start. After that, you'll become at peace with whatever you are, and change will become effortless. Surrender.

@Shin As our friend @Nahm always says: It will pass, it always does.

+1

Agreed. But only the ones who go through hell will ever have the keys to heaven. So, I think we should feel grateful for the gift of hell (Mind).

@Aakash Trusting the devil. Or, Completely surrendering to God. Your choice.

Why do you feel the need to release trauma? Just saying, because, what if you didn't actually have trauma as much as you think you have? Maybe the trauma that you are trying to release is hiding between your thoughts But sure, shamanic breathing works, even if you do it for only two minutes. Free running has very similar effects, and it's actually more enjoyable. Other methods that I haven't tried yet, psychedelics, long retreats, strong starvation.

Do you actually experience self-doubt? Or did you just read about it?

What exactly is it that you really want to change?

@kira To what extent is it going to be? I mean there are many layers to this topic. I don't have much to offer, but I think that narrowing down your goals of any topic will help you do better research. Who are the audience you are speaking to? Their average age? Political opinions? Religious opinions? Etc... What are their average level of understanding reality? How would you like your presentation to affect them? I think a little bit of questioning would be a good starting point for your research.

@Pouya All "why" questions have to do with pragmatism. Or, at least that's what I believe. As for the question: do past lives exist? The question itself is a fallacy, because existence is the present moment, so there's basically no past or future. But at the same time, yes, there exists past and future in the now, just not the thoughts of them. (although the thoughts might exist as well).

Is there anything that is not absolute?

A better way is self-love. It's a practice, you can close your eyes or look in the mirror and say: "I love you", "I accept you", "I love everything about you, all the mistakes, all the rights and wrongs, everything", etc... It is one of the most powerful ways for creating self-esteem and achievement in life. Observing the ego passively is good, but actively loving it is great!

@CreamCat What a wonderful coincidence!

@CreamCat I'll just be plain. You're talking like you're on the top of the world, and you're looking down upon everyone else. Reminds you of something? Yes, the ego. Maybe if you gave up your judgements and cared more about other people's circumstances, and maybe put yourself in their shoes, maybe then there would be no problem for you. Thank you.

Right on. No, if you look deeply enough you'll see that it's just imagination.