Do you really need guidance for developing spirituality?

[Mixcoatl]

As I have been working with substances like LSD and bufo, one of the main challenges I continually encounter is how easy it is to construct belief systems and mistake them for truth.

I spend a significant amount of time watching videos from various teachers and thinkers such as idealist philosophers and scientists, which has been valuable, as without them I might feel somewhat lost or disconnected. However, this is also where the problem arises. Each time I return from a bufo experience, I find myself trying to interpret what I experienced through the lens of what I’ve heard from these guides. In doing so, I sometimes attempt to convince myself that I’ve realized more than I actually have.

At this point, there are certain insights from my experiences that feel undeniably true, while others, especially those described by some teachers, remain uncertain to me. Despite this, I notice a tendency in myself to want to believe them anyway.

Because of this, I’m beginning to feel that it may be more beneficial to step back from external sources of guidance for a while and focus instead on forming my own understanding of truth based on direct experience.

I’m not sure if this is the best approach for my development, because before listening to teachers, I couldn’t understand what was happening during my LSD experiences.

[Leo Gura]

13 minutes ago, Mixcoatl said:

it may be more beneficial to step back from external sources of guidance for a while and focus instead on forming my own understanding of truth based on direct experience.

Yes, this is necessary at the highest stages.

[Willy Phallicus]

The best advice you're going to get from any guru or manual is to go within and disregard external influences.  So yeah, just follow it.

[Davino]

Both can happen simultaneously. I have to share that my spiritual advancement has become so quick thanks to an obsessive study of the greatest mystics of all time, at the same time these mystics teach you that at the end of the day it's you who do the work and must breakthrough it all, achieving total sovereignty of Mind and God-Realisation, as everything is but a figment of your own mind, hence no figment can shine for the Infinity of all that you are.

Anchoring your mind on the best can give you direction and invaluable advice, but can also trap your consciousness in subtle limitations and delusions.

Breaking free from all anchors will make you more sovereign and intelligent, but on its own may block you reinventing the wheel on consciousness traps already solved.

What is very clear, is that after a certain point nobody will have awaken to what you're Awakening to and then you're totally alone discovering the new frontiers of Consciousness.

[Jordan of the Shire]

2 hours ago, Mixcoatl said:

As I have been working with substances like LSD and bufo, one of the main challenges I continually encounter is how easy it is to construct belief systems and mistake them for truth.

I spend a significant amount of time watching videos from various teachers and thinkers such as idealist philosophers and scientists, which has been valuable, as without them I might feel somewhat lost or disconnected. However, this is also where the problem arises. Each time I return from a bufo experience, I find myself trying to interpret what I experienced through the lens of what I’ve heard from these guides. In doing so, I sometimes attempt to convince myself that I’ve realized more than I actually have.

At this point, there are certain insights from my experiences that feel undeniably true, while others, especially those described by some teachers, remain uncertain to me. Despite this, I notice a tendency in myself to want to believe them anyway.

Because of this, I’m beginning to feel that it may be more beneficial to step back from external sources of guidance for a while and focus instead on forming my own understanding of truth based on direct experience.

I’m not sure if this is the best approach for my development, because before listening to teachers, I couldn’t understand what was happening during my LSD experiences.

The buddha said "sangha is the whole of the path." Sangha are your friends that practice. They can help you move along.

The buddha also said "there must be someone to walk the path" 

 So, yea brother. "feel that it may be more beneficial to step back from external sources of guidance for a while and focus instead on forming my own understanding of truth based on direct experience."

Heck Yea 

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Jordan of the Shire

[Carl-Richard]

At least you're here asking for guidance.

You've presented pros and cons of both. Perhaps seeking the middle way is the answer.

Edited 16 hours ago by Carl-Richard

[Mixcoatl]

 

1 hour ago, Carl-Richard said:

At least you're here asking for guidance.

I've always found this forum to be a good place where I feel confident asking for guidance.

Thanks to all of you guys, It is much clearer to me now. 

[PenguinPablo]

2 hours ago, Mixcoatl said:

 

I've always found this forum to be a good place where I feel confident asking for guidance.

Thanks to all of you guys, It is much clearer to me 

If your intuition is that your personal understanding will evolve further independently you're likely correct. 

But we still need each other for basic life stuff, human things, etc... Other humans can be quite skillful at that -- and point us in the right direction. 

Don't underestimate the pragmaticism of non spiritual folk. Could come in handy. 

Edited 12 hours ago by PenguinPablo

[Leo Gura]

This is why I talk about Sovereignty of Mind and Autonomy.

You are starting to see why that's so important.

Edited 12 hours ago by Leo Gura

[Ramasta9]

Think of it this way. Taking substances to develop spirituality is like finding the cheat codes of a game, harnessing the magical powers, and beating the boss. And yet when you don't have the cheat codes, can you defeat the boss? That's the difference between substances and natural development.

Sometimes the cheat codes don't work in the real world, and then what will you do if you never developed the natural skills to beat the game? 

Substances are tools, reminders, 'course-correctors' showing you how and why, but unless you done the work yourself naturally, when you return to your baseline / default state, there's only so much you can embody and hold onto, because you didn't develop the spiritual muscles and foundation naturally beforehand to hold such a high frequency and charge, thus it naturally leaves what cannot sustain it.

Work, apply and integrate what they show you, then if it feels aligned come back for the next level / lesson.

Eventually you may need to drop them altogether at the higher levels, less becomes more.

 

 

 

[Wilhelm44]

8 hours ago, Mixcoatl said:

As I have been working with substances like LSD and bufo, one of the main challenges I continually encounter is how easy it is to construct belief systems and mistake them for truth.

I spend a significant amount of time watching videos from various teachers and thinkers such as idealist philosophers and scientists, which has been valuable, as without them I might feel somewhat lost or disconnected. However, this is also where the problem arises. Each time I return from a bufo experience, I find myself trying to interpret what I experienced through the lens of what I’ve heard from these guides. In doing so, I sometimes attempt to convince myself that I’ve realized more than I actually have.

At this point, there are certain insights from my experiences that feel undeniably true, while others, especially those described by some teachers, remain uncertain to me. Despite this, I notice a tendency in myself to want to believe them anyway.

Because of this, I’m beginning to feel that it may be more beneficial to step back from external sources of guidance for a while and focus instead on forming my own understanding of truth based on direct experience.

I’m not sure if this is the best approach for my development, because before listening to teachers, I couldn’t understand what was happening during my LSD experiences.

Yeah, take LSD etc, and then as an experiment dont watch any videos for a whole week/month, and just focus on ur own insights.