Merkabah

[Kgal]

I honestly don’t think I was made for this place…Sensiko has said the same thing.
Sometimes that great wall of sadness for someplace else crashes down.

@Kgal

My current mood -

View attachment 23400

HaH!

Of course you weren't made for here....you're a Galactic entity having a human experience....and right now that sucks due to all the turmoil created from the great Shift going on. Don't forget our bodies are going through the changes as well. I am blowing up like a hot air balloon. Meh...

btw.... a while back I had another one of those vision experiences where I saw the rest of my team. There was much joy - high fives - huge smiles - sparkles in their eyes as they came up to me to gaze at me - pats on the back - and a big group hug. I think there were nine of us in that hug. I was totally in rapture. :rapture:

Then.... these 3 small entities moved into my view and they were pale blue to turquoise in color. I could only see them from the shoulders up...but they sort of resemble you in that photo. They had non descript large heads. No ears. Large oval very dark brown or black eyes. Small nose. Slit for mouth. They "mind talked" with me and conveyed love and welcome.

With that hoodie and sunglasses on - you sort of remind me of them. It's nice to meet you fellow Arcturian.

 

[Skarekrow]

HaH!

Of course you weren't made for here....you're a Galactic entity having a human experience....and right now that sucks due to all the turmoil created from the great Shift going on. Don't forget our bodies are going through the changes as well. I am blowing up like a hot air balloon. Meh...

btw.... a while back I had another one of those vision experiences where I saw the rest of my team. There was much joy - high fives - huge smiles - sparkles in their eyes as they came up to me to gaze at me - pats on the back - and a big group hug. I think there were nine of us in that hug. I was totally in rapture. :rapture:

Then.... these 3 small entities moved into my view and they were pale blue to turquoise in color. I could only see them from the shoulders up...but they sort of resemble you in that photo. They had non descript large heads. No ears. Large oval very dark brown or black eyes. Small nose. Slit for mouth. They "mind talked" with me and conveyed love and welcome.

With that hoodie and sunglasses on - you sort of remind me of them. It's nice to meet you fellow Arcturian.

Feeling a bit better…if my fucking back would seriously just give me a break…just for like 5 mins….anything.

That is indeed a trippy vision!
Sounds incredibly intense.

I could use some intenseness of the good kind here and soon.
I’ve been having vague dreams of very distant places…nothing to rave about though….that I can remember.


I have decided that it is time to start with some psychedelics…mushrooms to begin with.
I feel that it would highly benefit me in many ways…this is what my Qi is telling me anyhow.
There are some serious blockages in my way forward…some serious things tying me down…I feel they would regulate this in a way I have never experienced and I am very much looking forward to any and all aspects of it with the greatest reverence of course.

 

[Skarekrow]

Everything Is Awful and I’m Not Okay: questions to ask before giving up
​

Are you hydrated? If not, have a glass of water.

Have you eaten in the past three hours? If not, get some food – something with protein, not just simple carbs. Perhaps some nuts or hummus?

Have you showered in the past day? If not, take a shower right now.

If daytime: are you dressed? If not, put on clean clothes that aren’t pajamas. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress.

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep? Put on pajamas, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes – no electronic screens allowed. If you’re still awake after that, you can get up again; no pressure.

Have you stretched your legs in the past day? If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the spoons for a run or trip to the gym, just walk around the block, then keep walking as long as you please. If the weather’s crap, drive to a big box store (e.g. Target) and go on a brisk walk through the aisles you normally skip.

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine; wait until you see something really wonderful about someone, and tell them about it.

Have you moved your body to music in the past day? If not, do so – jog for the length of an EDM song at your favorite BPM, or just dance around the room for the length of an upbeat song.

Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days? If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends or friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing on them.

Do you feel ineffective? Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an e-mail, loading up the dishwasher, or packing your gym bag for your next trip. Good job!

Do you feel unattractive? Take a goddamn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look, and you’ll fight society’s restrictions on what beauty can look like.

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision? Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial.

Have you seen a therapist in the past few days? If not, hang on until your next therapy visit and talk through things then.

Have you been over-exerting yourself lately – physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually? That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment.

Have you changed any of your medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand? That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down.

Have you waited a week? Sometimes our perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then.
You’ve made it this far, and you will make it through.

You are stronger than you think.

 

[Tin Man]

[MENTION=5045]Skarekrow[/MENTION] Hope you're doing okay.

[video=youtube;9bK5Ur0Vi0Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bK5Ur0Vi0Y[/video]

 

[sprinkles]

Everything Is Awful and I’m Not Okay: questions to ask before giving up
​

Are you hydrated? If not, have a glass of water.

Have you eaten in the past three hours? If not, get some food — something with protein, not just simple carbs. Perhaps some nuts or hummus?

Have you showered in the past day? If not, take a shower right now.

If daytime: are you dressed? If not, put on clean clothes that aren’t pajamas. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress.

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep? Put on pajamas, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes — no electronic screens allowed. If you’re still awake after that, you can get up again; no pressure.

Have you stretched your legs in the past day? If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the spoons for a run or trip to the gym, just walk around the block, then keep walking as long as you please. If the weather’s crap, drive to a big box store (e.g. Target) and go on a brisk walk through the aisles you normally skip.

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine; wait until you see something really wonderful about someone, and tell them about it.

Have you moved your body to music in the past day? If not, do so — jog for the length of an EDM song at your favorite BPM, or just dance around the room for the length of an upbeat song.

Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days? If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends or friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing on them.

Do you feel ineffective? Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an e-mail, loading up the dishwasher, or packing your gym bag for your next trip. Good job!

Do you feel unattractive? Take a goddamn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look, and you’ll fight society’s restrictions on what beauty can look like.

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision? Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial.

Have you seen a therapist in the past few days? If not, hang on until your next therapy visit and talk through things then.

Have you been over-exerting yourself lately — physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually? That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment.

Have you changed any of your medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand? That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down.

Have you waited a week? Sometimes our perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then.
You’ve made it this far, and you will make it through.

You are stronger than you think.

It's funny that I learned all these things through just trial and error and random experience. And they all really work for me.

 

[Skarekrow]

Everything is okay.
I don’t think that the radio-frequentcy nerve ablation really did much for me.
But…at this point I would be really surprised if anything made a solid dent in the pain.

Going to re-start the Remicade IV therapy this Monday….*sigh*…I just don’t know what else to do…it WAS making me feel better until that other medication put in the hospital.

So, finger’s crossed...

Other than that, just kinda feel stuck in some in-between limbo.

Maybe limbo is where I should be...

On Time
Kahlil Gibran

You would measure time the measureless and the immeasurable.
You would adjust your conduct and even direct the course of your spirit according to hours and seasons.
Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch its flowing.

Yet the timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness,
And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream.
And that that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.
Who among you does not feel that his power to love is boundless?
And yet who does not feel that very love, though boundless, encompassed within the centre of his being, and moving not from love thought to love thought, nor from love deeds to other love deeds?
And is not time even as love is, undivided and spaceless?

But if in your thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season encircle all the other seasons,
And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing.
​

 

[INFJ16]

I hope you can find something that is effective in helping with the pain.

Hang in there! Keep taking it one day at a time.

I admire your strength and courage to try to stay positive despite your circumstances.

Here are some more "Uplifting Quotes" (http://www.keepinspiring.me/uplifting-quotes-for-difficult-times/)

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”
– Martin Luther King
“The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.”
– Ulysses S. Grant
“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.”
– Kenji Miyazawa
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
– Japanese Proverb
“Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being.”
– Albert Schweitzer
“We should always pray for help, but we should always listen for inspiration and impression to proceed in ways different from those we may have thought of.”
– John H. Groberg
“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”
– Duke Ellington
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
– Henry Ford
“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
– Chinese Proverb
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
– Epicetus
“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh
“Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.”
– Leroy Satchel Paige
“The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them.”
– Unknown
“Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.”
– Elie Weisel
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.”
– Nelson Mandela
“In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.”
– Lee Iacocca
“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.”
– Doe Zantamata
“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
– Robert H Schuller
“If it’s not exactly like you thought it would be, you think it’s a failure. What about the spectrum of colors in between.”
– Sara Evans
“Use what you’ve been through as fuel, believe in yourself and be unstoppable!”
– Yvonne Pierre
“I learned there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead, others come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready, you see. Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me.”
– Dr. Seuss
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life. It goes on.”
– Robert Frost
“Every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or a greater benefit.”
– Napoleon Hill
“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.”
– Mary Engelbreit
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”
– Mary Anne Radmacher
“Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.”
– William James

 

[Skarekrow]

23 Nikola Tesla Quotes That Will Electrify Your Life​

“I don’t care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don’t have any of their own”

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

“The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.”

“The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine.”

“The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.”

“If your hate could be turned into electricity, it would light up the whole world.”

“My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.”

“What we now want is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of egoism and pride which is always prone to plunge the world into primeval barbarism and strife… Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment…”

“I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success . . . Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything.”

“Our virtues and our failings are inseparable, like force and matter. When they separate, man is no more”

“Let the future tell the truth, and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which I have really worked, is mine”

“All that was great in the past was ridiculed, condemned, combated, suppressed – only to emerge all the more powerfully, all the more triumphantly from the struggle.”

“Life is and will ever remain an equation incapable of solution, but it contains certain known factors.”

“We crave for new sensations but soon become indifferent to them. The wonders of yesterday are today common occurrences”

“Invention is the most important product of man’s creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.”

“The individual is ephemeral, races and nations come and pass away, but man remains.”

“What one man calls God, another calls the laws of physics.”

“Great moments are born great opportunity”

“So astounding are the facts in this connection, that it would seem as though the Creator, himself had electrically designed this planet…”

“Most certainly, some planets are not inhabited, but others are, and among these there must exist life under all conditions and phases of development.”

“The scientific man does not aim at an immediate result. He does not expect that his advanced ideas will be readily taken up. His work is like that of the planter–for the future. His duty is to lay the foundation for those who are to come, and point the way.”

“But instinct is something which transcends knowledge. We have, undoubtedly, certain finer fibers that enable us to perceive truths when logal deduction, or any other willful effort of the brain, is futile.”

“Of all things, I liked books best.”

 

[Skarekrow]

The Ego is the Source of Suffering AND Contentment

“Ego is the immediate dictate of human consciousness.” ~ Max Planck
​

One could argue, such as the Buddha, that the ego is the source of all the suffering on an individual level.
Yet the ego is not just the cause of one’s pain; as the source of one’s sense of Self, it’s also the key to where our uniqueness, contentment and happiness is found.

I Am Me

So, what is our ego?
For the purpose of this article, when I say ego, I mean the part of us that thinks and feels “I am Me”.

To elaborate, it’s the beliefs that we have about ourselves.
It’s all of our thoughts, feelings and memories. It’s what explains us as separate from everything else, including our body.

Therefore, it is the combination of our rational, moral, intuitive and instinctual capacities.
That means that even the ways in which we experience love and conceptualise the unity of existence, is filtered through our egoic self.

This is contrary to what is usually discussed about the ego.
It is sometimes exclusively portrayed as the negative, self-absorbed aspect of the personality.

But the ego can also be open, kind and giving; it is everything, both negative and positive, about who we are.

What, then, is not our ego?

“Enlightenment is ego’s ultimate disappointment.” ― Chögyam Trungpa

​

It’s our ground state — our pure self.
Our individuality is a flame in the eternal fire and our ego is our flame’s heat.

The non-ego part of us is our flame — or our spirit — before the ego starts to define it, as well as the entire fire.
The fire is of course the unity of reality which different people have different terms for, such as God, the quantum zero-point field or the spiritual conception of cosmic consciousness.

No matter which way we sway, it’s not our awareness or our flame which is our ego, but everything we define our individual awareness as.
What we identify as characteristics and beliefs about ourselves are reflections of our ego.

It is all our personality traits — both good and bad — which means it can be functional and healthy, or the opposite.

What is the role of the ego?

“The Ego is a veil between humans and God’.” ― Rumi

​

Our ego is obviously necessary for many reasons.
It helps us to maintain a separate self, even if it is fundamentally illusory, so that we can survive and potentially thrive in the third dimensional construct that we find ourselves in.

So it’s not going anywhere, nor do we want it to.
Given that what we conceive as ourselves, is in fact our ego, we just need to work out how to manage it, or ourselves, in a functional way.

For example, our ego talks to itself.
It says: “Hey mate, you’re being foolish.” It also says that we’re being productive, such as “I’m glad you stopped and thought for a moment before you did something silly”.

Our ego-voice-of-reason tells our ego-instinct that something is or isn’t the right thing to do.
The opposite is also true; our ego instinct can tell our ego rationale that we’re over-thinking in a way that is contradictory to our feelings.

Effectively, our rational ego-self trains itself.
It can say: “You’re being illogical, how about you be more reasonable because you’re acting poorly.” It also trains other areas: “You know being angry and sad hasn’t worked well for you in the past, so maybe it’s time to think and feel differently.”

It continues: “So now that you say you want to change, I’ll monitor the situation and make sure you do, because we both know how many times you’ve said that before.”

How does our ego make us suffer?

“The weak are dominated by their ego, the wise dominate their ego, and the intelligent are in a constant struggle against their ego.” ― Hamza Yusuf

​

All egos have their flaws, which is perfectly okay.
However, there’s nothing wrong with developing it either.

If our ego is continually angry, self-absorbed, depressed, stubborn or an array of other problematic mind and behavioural states, then there is a clear need for some self-improvement.

That doesn’t mean that we hate these aspects of ourselves, we can love and embrace everything about us even if we want to evolve in certain ways.
For example, if our ego gets really upset about something not going its way or has an unjustified sense of entitlement, then it is dysfunctional and self-abusive.

The same goes if it is more likely to react instantly to situations instead of accessing its executive thinking capacity to respond appropriately to the circumstances.

If it rubs a lot of people the wrong way, instead of the rare few (well, we can’t please everybody), then it’s not just causing others to suffer, but also itself.
The ego treats itself in different ways, such as being self-harming or self-benefiting.

So if it is always hurting itself over and over again then it’s probably setting itself up for failure with too many expectations and too many desires.
This might be the case for some of us, although there is a path to relief; all it needs is to give itself some tough love and a little nurturing, however this is a challenging and ongoing process that requires a sustained and self-aware focus.

What is a strong ego?

“If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it.” ― John Lennon

​

A big ego isn’t problematic until it executes priorities at the cost of itself and others.
There is an old conception that a big ego is inherently delusional and full of itself, however this is just a strong ego that is unhealthy and dysfunctional.

A strong ego can have a big confidence in and understanding of itself, but still be healthy; big ego problems arise simply when it is closed to change.
In other words, a big ego might be extremely strong-willed and have conviction in its stance, but for its own health and for the positive impact on others, it needs to undertake a journey of true self-empowerment.

There are many people who have super strong egos, even those people who might be considered an introvert.
It really is determined by their complexity and degree of self-determination.

Nevertheless, some strong egos have big ego problems and others don’t; generally the difference comes down to whether they truly and deeply care about other people or not.

This is obviously highly influenced by their philosophy on reality.

What does a healthy ego look like?

“How to get rid of ego as dictator and turn it into messenger and servant and scout, to be in your service, is the trick.” ― Joseph Campbell

​

A functional ego is balanced; it can be a confident, crazy and playful extrovert, but at other times it can also be a creative or vulnerable introvert.
It’s a personality which understands itself, with all its strengths and flaws, yet it’s neither excessively self-absorbed nor insensitive to the needs of the people around it.

It is kind and loving.
Not just to others, but itself too.

It genuinely cares for its world and will sacrifice its desires for another’s benefit.
It also lives on the edge and tests its boundaries, but it does so as respectfully as possible.

To be a healthy ego it definitely needs to be open to change, as well as crave it.
It needs to be aware of the subconscious drivers that influences its conscious world.

It needs to let go of strict future expectations, as well as heal its past traumas on an ongoing basis, which is why meditation can be so effective for ensuring a healthy and functional ego.

What about ego problems?

“Midlife is the time to let go of an over-dominant ego and to contemplate the deeper significance of human existence.” ― C.G. Jung

​

Generally, any ego with problems is consumed by itself or suffering from itself.
It also causes pain for others.

Additionally, an ego with problems sometimes worships itself above all others too.If we think we may have serious ego problems, then we should ask ourselves the following questions:

- Do we make a scene over little things that don’t go our way?

- Are we so immersed in ourselves that we struggle to have empathy for others?

- Do we excessively love ourselves?

- Is changing and evolving our ego difficult?

- Are we always angry or upset in our daily lives?

- Are we so self-centred that we always put ourselves first?

- Is our image of ourselves and how others view us one of our top priorities?

- Are we spiteful and generally disrespectful towards others?

- Do we continually condemn other people to make ourselves feel better?

- Do we have little compassion for our fellow man?

- Does being overly competitive bring emotional dysfunction to our life?

- Do we aim to tear apart perceived threats with gossip and lies?

- When our ego is hurt, does it hurt really badly?

Answering yes to any of these questions potentially indicates significant problems with our ego.
It may even be classified as narcissistic behaviour.

That’s because an unhealthy ego wants more; it wants to want more.
It doesn’t fully embrace what it has and is therefore not content.

Being unforgiving, resentful, jealous or angry is an unhealthy attachment to our ego desires.
It’s unhealthy if our ego says: “I should have had something else than what I got, so I’m going to cause issues for others.”

That’s because itself is suffering during that process.

How can we maintain a healthy ego?

“I own and operate a ferocious ego.” – Bill Moyers

​

There’s nothing wrong with a fiery ego, yet most of us think that the guy acting all ‘road raged’ should chill the hell out.
The same goes with that mother going off her nut in the shopping centre because her children are being children.

But what about the person obsessed with their image?
Or the people who believe they’re better than others and are always trying to prove so?

These are examples of unhealthy ego self-attachment.
An ego with problems wants a particular outcome at all costs, or it may feel superior to its fellow man, so when it doesn’t get its ego fix, out comes the ego-monster to rip apart the seams of its injustice.

An ego with problems loves to blame others for how it feels.
I call this blamism: “It’s my parents fault for the way they brought me up,” or “it’s the government’s fault for the policies they institute,” or “it’s my ex-partners fault because they broke my heart.”

Blaming others is a cop-out; it merely justifies the ego feeling helpless and inhibits it from taking on the responsibility to change itself.
So, let me be clear: the bottom line is we think and feel the way we do because of ourselves and it’s only us that can change it.

It’s also important to note that balancing out our ego and managing the aspects of ourselves that could potentially turn out unhealthy and dysfunctional will never end to the day we die, so let’s own it.

Here’s a tip: the single most motivating factor to overcome ego problems is that they cause suffering for everyone involved including ourselves!
Do we really want to unnecessarily hurt ourselves and others?

I seriously hope not!
The simple fact remains that we have the power to control how we think, feel and act.

Living the way of the v-three; that is, virtuous thinking, feeling and action, is absolutely essential for true self-empowerment.
If we operate virtuously, we do ourselves and everyone else a service.

It’s that easy.
Ultimately, we should aim to have a healthy, functional, contented and loving ego which has a balance attachment to itself.

This means it should be attached in ways that is practical for its existence but not attached in ways that reinforces the pain and suffering of itself and others. That’s how to maintain a nourishing and peaceful ego.

“A bold ego leads itself into the depths of disconnection whilst knowing itself as fundamentally faux.”

 

[Skarekrow]

The Science of Interconnectedness:
Cassandra Vieten at TEDxNapaValley


[video=youtube;NOVMb5t3HyQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NOVMb5t3HyQ[/video]

Cassandra Vieten, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, Director of Research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, co-director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Group at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, and co-president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the State of California, and several private donors and foundations, her research has focused on spirituality and health; development and pilot testing of mindfulness-based approaches to cultivating emotional balance (primarily in the areas of addiction and pregnancy/postpartum well-being); and factors, experiences, and practices involved in psychospiritual transformation to a more meaningful, compassionate, and service-oriented way of life. Her primary interest lies in how psychology, biology, and spirituality interact to affect experience and behavior.​

 

[Kgal]

Feeling a bit better…if my fucking back would seriously just give me a break…just for like 5 mins….anything.

That is indeed a trippy vision!
Sounds incredibly intense.

I could use some intenseness of the good kind here and soon.
I’ve been having vague dreams of very distant places…nothing to rave about though….that I can remember.


I have decided that it is time to start with some psychedelics…mushrooms to begin with.
I feel that it would highly benefit me in many ways…this is what my Qi is telling me anyhow.
There are some serious blockages in my way forward…some serious things tying me down…I feel they would regulate this in a way I have never experienced and I am very much looking forward to any and all aspects of it with the greatest reverence of course.

We all have those serious blockages and I don't blame you for wanting to somehow jettison them from your field. I caution you about your intention for using the mushrooms to help you clear them. Not because I don't think doing mushrooms is bad or to be avoided. No...it's the intention surrounding the usage. There is a Truth out there that says: What we resist - persists. From my own experience this is rock solid truth. I get the feeling you are wanting to use the mushroom experience to save you from the big bad serious blockages. There is nothing that will "save" you from them. Only you and your own bravery to embrace them can transform the blockage into Flow.

I love the fact you are viewing mushrooms with reverence as is rightfully true. I would encourage you to combine your reverence for Mushroom along with reverence for your blockages. They are equally valid teaching experiences for you. If you can arrive in that space in your heart where you embrace the blockages - then the dissolving process will begin.

I look forward to hearing about your Mushroom journey. I bet it will be intense.

 

[sprinkles]

We all have those serious blockages and I don't blame you for wanting to somehow jettison them from your field. I caution you about your intention for using the mushrooms to help you clear them. Not because I don't think doing mushrooms is bad or to be avoided. No...it's the intention surrounding the usage. There is a Truth out there that says: What we resist - persists. From my own experience this is rock solid truth. I get the feeling you are wanting to use the mushroom experience to save you from the big bad serious blockages. There is nothing that will "save" you from them. Only you and your own bravery to embrace them can transform the blockage into Flow.

I love the fact you are viewing mushrooms with reverence as is rightfully true. I would encourage you to combine your reverence for Mushroom along with reverence for your blockages. They are equally valid teaching experiences for you. If you can arrive in that space in your heart where you embrace the blockages - then the dissolving process will begin.

I look forward to hearing about your Mushroom journey. I bet it will be intense.

Why is it that I know things like this but always forget them when I most need to realize it?

 

[sprinkles]

Why is it that I know things like this but always forget them when I most need to realize it?

Actually I can answer myself because I just figured it out.

I'm still trying to 'do it right' even though I don't know what right is, necessarily. I've locked myself into expectations of regular 'proper' growth and expect certain milestones. This leads to backlash when my expectations for myself are not met.

I've deceived myself. But what does that mean now that I know it

 

[Skarekrow]

We all have those serious blockages and I don't blame you for wanting to somehow jettison them from your field. I caution you about your intention for using the mushrooms to help you clear them. Not because I don't think doing mushrooms is bad or to be avoided. No...it's the intention surrounding the usage. There is a Truth out there that says: What we resist - persists. From my own experience this is rock solid truth. I get the feeling you are wanting to use the mushroom experience to save you from the big bad serious blockages. There is nothing that will "save" you from them. Only you and your own bravery to embrace them can transform the blockage into Flow.

I love the fact you are viewing mushrooms with reverence as is rightfully true. I would encourage you to combine your reverence for Mushroom along with reverence for your blockages. They are equally valid teaching experiences for you. If you can arrive in that space in your heart where you embrace the blockages - then the dissolving process will begin.

I look forward to hearing about your Mushroom journey. I bet it will be intense.

Why is it that I know things like this but always forget them when I most need to realize it?

Actually I can answer myself because I just figured it out.

I'm still trying to 'do it right' even though I don't know what right is, necessarily. I've locked myself into expectations of regular 'proper' growth and expect certain milestones. This leads to backlash when my expectations for myself are not met.

I've deceived myself. But what does that mean now that I know it

Thank you for your cautions.
I certainly don’t think that they will “save me”.
What I do expect is a change of perspective.
I do hold them with reverence as they have been used to expand upon our consciousness for unknown times past.
And as careful as I am I will probably start way too low of a dose and go from there.

I expect no shortcuts….hell, some slightly improved unity would be nice, but this is not my foremost intention.
I actually have very good feelings about the whole thing.

 

[Skarekrow]

A few quotes by Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl

"A man who let himself decline because he could not see any future goal found himself occupied with retrospective thoughts. In a different connection, we have already spoken of the tendency there was to look into the past, to help make the present, with all its horrors, less real. But in robbing the present of its reality there lay a certain danger. It became easy to overlook the opportunities to make something positive of camp life, opportunities which really did exist. Regarding our “provisional existence” as unreal was in itself an important factor in causing the prisoners to lose their hold on life; everything in a way became pointless. Such people forgot that often it is just such an exceptionally difficult external situation which gives man the opportunity to grow spiritually beyond himself. Instead of taking the camp’s difficulties as a test of their inner strength, they did not take their life seriously and despised it as something of no consequence. They preferred to close their eyes and to live in the past. Life for such people became meaningless."

"When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer, he will have to accept his suffering as his task; his single and unique task. He will have to acknowledge the fact that even in suffering he is unique and alone in the universe. No one can relieve him of his suffering or suffer in his place. His unique opportunity lies in the way in which he bears his burden."


"This uniqueness and singleness which distinguishes each individual and gives a meaning to his existence has a bearing on creative work as much as it does on human love… A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the “why” for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any “how.”"

 

[Tin Man]

The Ego is the Source of Suffering AND Contentment

“Ego is the immediate dictate of human consciousness.” ~ Max Planck
​

One could argue, such as the Buddha, that the ego is the source of all the suffering on an individual level.
Yet the ego is not just the cause of one’s pain; as the source of one’s sense of Self, it’s also the key to where our uniqueness, contentment and happiness is found.

I Am Me

So, what is our ego?
For the purpose of this article, when I say ego, I mean the part of us that thinks and feels “I am Me”.

To elaborate, it’s the beliefs that we have about ourselves.
It’s all of our thoughts, feelings and memories. It’s what explains us as separate from everything else, including our body.

Therefore, it is the combination of our rational, moral, intuitive and instinctual capacities.
That means that even the ways in which we experience love and conceptualise the unity of existence, is filtered through our egoic self.

This is contrary to what is usually discussed about the ego.
It is sometimes exclusively portrayed as the negative, self-absorbed aspect of the personality.

But the ego can also be open, kind and giving; it is everything, both negative and positive, about who we are.

What, then, is not our ego?

“Enlightenment is ego’s ultimate disappointment.” ― Chögyam Trungpa

​

It’s our ground state – our pure self.
Our individuality is a flame in the eternal fire and our ego is our flame’s heat.

The non-ego part of us is our flame – or our spirit – before the ego starts to define it, as well as the entire fire.
The fire is of course the unity of reality which different people have different terms for, such as God, the quantum zero-point field or the spiritual conception of cosmic consciousness.

No matter which way we sway, it’s not our awareness or our flame which is our ego, but everything we define our individual awareness as.
What we identify as characteristics and beliefs about ourselves are reflections of our ego.

It is all our personality traits – both good and bad – which means it can be functional and healthy, or the opposite.

What is the role of the ego?

“The Ego is a veil between humans and God’.” ― Rumi

​

Our ego is obviously necessary for many reasons.
It helps us to maintain a separate self, even if it is fundamentally illusory, so that we can survive and potentially thrive in the third dimensional construct that we find ourselves in.

So it’s not going anywhere, nor do we want it to.
Given that what we conceive as ourselves, is in fact our ego, we just need to work out how to manage it, or ourselves, in a functional way.

For example, our ego talks to itself.
It says: “Hey mate, you’re being foolish.” It also says that we’re being productive, such as “I’m glad you stopped and thought for a moment before you did something silly”.

Our ego-voice-of-reason tells our ego-instinct that something is or isn’t the right thing to do.
The opposite is also true; our ego instinct can tell our ego rationale that we’re over-thinking in a way that is contradictory to our feelings.

Effectively, our rational ego-self trains itself.
It can say: “You’re being illogical, how about you be more reasonable because you’re acting poorly.” It also trains other areas: “You know being angry and sad hasn’t worked well for you in the past, so maybe it’s time to think and feel differently.”

It continues: “So now that you say you want to change, I’ll monitor the situation and make sure you do, because we both know how many times you’ve said that before.”

How does our ego make us suffer?

“The weak are dominated by their ego, the wise dominate their ego, and the intelligent are in a constant struggle against their ego.” ― Hamza Yusuf

​

All egos have their flaws, which is perfectly okay.
However, there’s nothing wrong with developing it either.

If our ego is continually angry, self-absorbed, depressed, stubborn or an array of other problematic mind and behavioural states, then there is a clear need for some self-improvement.

That doesn’t mean that we hate these aspects of ourselves, we can love and embrace everything about us even if we want to evolve in certain ways.
For example, if our ego gets really upset about something not going its way or has an unjustified sense of entitlement, then it is dysfunctional and self-abusive.

The same goes if it is more likely to react instantly to situations instead of accessing its executive thinking capacity to respond appropriately to the circumstances.

If it rubs a lot of people the wrong way, instead of the rare few (well, we can’t please everybody), then it’s not just causing others to suffer, but also itself.
The ego treats itself in different ways, such as being self-harming or self-benefiting.

So if it is always hurting itself over and over again then it’s probably setting itself up for failure with too many expectations and too many desires.
This might be the case for some of us, although there is a path to relief; all it needs is to give itself some tough love and a little nurturing, however this is a challenging and ongoing process that requires a sustained and self-aware focus.

What is a strong ego?

“If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it.” ― John Lennon

​

A big ego isn’t problematic until it executes priorities at the cost of itself and others.
There is an old conception that a big ego is inherently delusional and full of itself, however this is just a strong ego that is unhealthy and dysfunctional.

A strong ego can have a big confidence in and understanding of itself, but still be healthy; big ego problems arise simply when it is closed to change.
In other words, a big ego might be extremely strong-willed and have conviction in its stance, but for its own health and for the positive impact on others, it needs to undertake a journey of true self-empowerment.

There are many people who have super strong egos, even those people who might be considered an introvert.
It really is determined by their complexity and degree of self-determination.

Nevertheless, some strong egos have big ego problems and others don’t; generally the difference comes down to whether they truly and deeply care about other people or not.

This is obviously highly influenced by their philosophy on reality.

What does a healthy ego look like?

“How to get rid of ego as dictator and turn it into messenger and servant and scout, to be in your service, is the trick.” ― Joseph Campbell

​

A functional ego is balanced; it can be a confident, crazy and playful extrovert, but at other times it can also be a creative or vulnerable introvert.
It’s a personality which understands itself, with all its strengths and flaws, yet it’s neither excessively self-absorbed nor insensitive to the needs of the people around it.

It is kind and loving.
Not just to others, but itself too.

It genuinely cares for its world and will sacrifice its desires for another’s benefit.
It also lives on the edge and tests its boundaries, but it does so as respectfully as possible.

To be a healthy ego it definitely needs to be open to change, as well as crave it.
It needs to be aware of the subconscious drivers that influences its conscious world.

It needs to let go of strict future expectations, as well as heal its past traumas on an ongoing basis, which is why meditation can be so effective for ensuring a healthy and functional ego.

What about ego problems?

“Midlife is the time to let go of an over-dominant ego and to contemplate the deeper significance of human existence.” ― C.G. Jung

​

Generally, any ego with problems is consumed by itself or suffering from itself.
It also causes pain for others.

Additionally, an ego with problems sometimes worships itself above all others too.If we think we may have serious ego problems, then we should ask ourselves the following questions:

• Do we make a scene over little things that don’t go our way?

• Are we so immersed in ourselves that we struggle to have empathy for others?

• Do we excessively love ourselves?

• Is changing and evolving our ego difficult?

• Are we always angry or upset in our daily lives?

• Are we so self-centred that we always put ourselves first?

• Is our image of ourselves and how others view us one of our top priorities?

• Are we spiteful and generally disrespectful towards others?

• Do we continually condemn other people to make ourselves feel better?

• Do we have little compassion for our fellow man?

• Does being overly competitive bring emotional dysfunction to our life?

• Do we aim to tear apart perceived threats with gossip and lies?

• When our ego is hurt, does it hurt really badly?

Answering yes to any of these questions potentially indicates significant problems with our ego.
It may even be classified as narcissistic behaviour.

That’s because an unhealthy ego wants more; it wants to want more.
It doesn’t fully embrace what it has and is therefore not content.

Being unforgiving, resentful, jealous or angry is an unhealthy attachment to our ego desires.
It’s unhealthy if our ego says: “I should have had something else than what I got, so I’m going to cause issues for others.”

That’s because itself is suffering during that process.

How can we maintain a healthy ego?

“I own and operate a ferocious ego.” — Bill Moyers

​

There’s nothing wrong with a fiery ego, yet most of us think that the guy acting all ‘road raged’ should chill the hell out.
The same goes with that mother going off her nut in the shopping centre because her children are being children.

But what about the person obsessed with their image?
Or the people who believe they’re better than others and are always trying to prove so?

These are examples of unhealthy ego self-attachment.
An ego with problems wants a particular outcome at all costs, or it may feel superior to its fellow man, so when it doesn’t get its ego fix, out comes the ego-monster to rip apart the seams of its injustice.

An ego with problems loves to blame others for how it feels.
I call this blamism: “It’s my parents fault for the way they brought me up,” or “it’s the government’s fault for the policies they institute,” or “it’s my ex-partners fault because they broke my heart.”

Blaming others is a cop-out; it merely justifies the ego feeling helpless and inhibits it from taking on the responsibility to change itself.
So, let me be clear: the bottom line is we think and feel the way we do because of ourselves and it’s only us that can change it.

It’s also important to note that balancing out our ego and managing the aspects of ourselves that could potentially turn out unhealthy and dysfunctional will never end to the day we die, so let’s own it.

Here’s a tip: the single most motivating factor to overcome ego problems is that they cause suffering for everyone involved including ourselves!
Do we really want to unnecessarily hurt ourselves and others?

I seriously hope not!
The simple fact remains that we have the power to control how we think, feel and act.

Living the way of the v-three; that is, virtuous thinking, feeling and action, is absolutely essential for true self-empowerment.
If we operate virtuously, we do ourselves and everyone else a service.

It’s that easy.
Ultimately, we should aim to have a healthy, functional, contented and loving ego which has a balanced attachment to itself.

This means it should be attached in ways that is practical for its existence but not attached in ways that reinforces the pain and suffering of itself and others. That’s how to maintain a nourishing and peaceful ego.

“A bold ego leads itself into the depths of disconnection whilst knowing itself as fundamentally faux.”

Thanks for posting that. It's something I've thought a lot about. The ego is constantly represented as a purely negative entity, but that hasn't been my experience with it. It causes a lot of pain and suffering, but if managed well can bring feelings of well being and happiness.

Not to mention to fact that certain parts of myself which I'm happy with come from the ego. I enjoy criticizing bad movies and using logic to take apart ideas and patterns. Even given the choice I'm not sure I'd want to destroy it. Many would say, this is just the ego getting it's grips into me, but it doesn't feel that way to me. It feels like a very necessary part of me would be destroyed along with the ego.

 

[Skarekrow]

Thanks for posting that. It's something I've thought a lot about. The ego is constantly represented as a purely negative entity, but that hasn't been my experience with it. It causes a lot of pain and suffering, but if managed well can bring feelings of well being and happiness.

Not to mention to fact that certain parts of myself which I'm happy with come from the ego. I enjoy criticizing bad movies and using logic to take apart ideas and patterns. Even given the choice I'm not sure I'd want to destroy it. Many would say, this is just the ego getting it's grips into me, but it doesn't feel that way to me. It feels like a very necessary part of me would be destroyed along with the ego.

I agree with you.
For sure everyone has seen what can happen when the ego of someone gets out of hand…but there is a reverse of this too, where parts of a person’s ego is suppressed and there are problems with that too.
Of course, many teachings teach that the ego is something to be done away with…something to be overcome….but I feel that there only needs to be a balance struck.
Perhaps that’s how you eliminate it so to speak….a man can carry great weight if it is properly balanced after all.

 

[Kgal]

Why is it that I know things like this but always forget them when I most need to realize it?

Because Pain creates Fear and the brain is designed to recognize the Fear first and create whatever it can to move away from the pain.

Years ago I was deep into learning about the brain functioning in regards to mindfulness and studied Dan Siegel's work quite intensely. In this I learned there is only essentially two neuronal pathways leading up from the center area of the brain(fear) connecting with the prefrontal cortex area(thinking and reasoning). The pathways are not very ...ummm...established...or strong. So when we are experiencing pain/fear our ability to access our prefrontal cortex area is greatly diminished and we "can't think"....very well. Dan posited by practicing mindfulness( mindsight as he calls it) we could mitigate the effect of fear on our brains functioning.

This resounded very strongly within me - like a gong - and I "saw" the true greatness in practicing mindfulness and meditation. So I began to do it in earnest. Over the years since then I can see the benefits of it as now I am able to see my Fear more easily as it arises while remaining balanced in my prefrontal cortex. I don't know for sure...but I think by being able to do that I keep my brain focused on using all parts of my brain and easing my way through the fear by utilizing my cortex. It keeps my brain in "general function" mode.

Before learning this I used to beat myself up because I couldn't control my fear based emotions very well. After seeing those two little skinny neuronal pathways from the amygdala leading up to the prefrontal cortex area I thought 'well no wonder we're all idiots when we're afraid' and I stopped giving myself some shit for it.

 

[sprinkles]

Because Pain creates Fear and the brain is designed to recognize the Fear first and create whatever it can to move away from the pain.

Years ago I was deep into learning about the brain functioning in regards to mindfulness and studied Dan Siegel's work quite intensely. In this I learned there is only essentially two neuronal pathways leading up from the center area of the brain(fear) connecting with the prefrontal cortex area(thinking and reasoning). The pathways are not very ...ummm...established...or strong. So when we are experiencing pain/fear our ability to access our prefrontal cortex area is greatly diminished and we "can't think"....very well. Dan posited by practicing mindfulness( mindsight as he calls it) we could mitigate the effect of fear on our brains functioning.

This resounded very strongly within me - like a gong - and I "saw" the true greatness in practicing mindfulness and meditation. So I began to do it in earnest. Over the years since then I can see the benefits of it as now I am able to see my Fear more easily as it arises while remaining balanced in my prefrontal cortex. I don't know for sure...but I think by being able to do that I keep my brain focused on using all parts of my brain and easing my way through the fear by utilizing my cortex. It keeps my brain in "general function" mode.

Before learning this I used to beat myself up because I couldn't control my fear based emotions very well. After seeing those two little skinny neuronal pathways from the amygdala leading up to the prefrontal cortex area I thought 'well no wonder we're all idiots when we're afraid' and I stopped giving myself some shit for it.

That's another thing. I don't practice. Well I did practice and it works perfectly fine, but I stopped and hadn't really taken the time in months.

I've heard before, and I think posited myself once, that after extensive practice we become more and more dependent on practice. Because we become used to not seeing the world through a hard callous as a buffer. Basically when we relapse from practice we get the full brunt of the world as we would have taken it before.

I guess in a way it'd be like an athlete who suddenly goes dumpy and unhealthy. They know what it's like to feel fit and healthy so letting yourself go can feel just that much more shitty in comparison.

 

[Skarekrow]

The Effortless Presence — Active Meditation vs. True Meditation

The Nature of Active Meditation

Living in an isolated state of consciousness, based upon your identification with your illusionary self, you may find that spatial consciousness is not present in your life, so you are unable to experience Consciousness free of forms.

But you have read a lot about this subject, so you wish to bring things beyond forms and shapes under the control of your Ego, in order to stabilize the Ego and make it permanent.

You may have read or heard somewhere that meditation is the best method to that end, so you have begun to meditate diligently.
But you are approaching meditation the way you do with other objects of the outside world.

You believe that meditation is also an activity of the mind, a concentration on an objects (e. g. a burning candle), or your own respiration or a mantra.

Meditation is therefore something that you perform yourself.
Through active meditation you wish to reach a higher state of the Mind, which is expected to give you happiness, satisfaction and enlightenment.

You start to practice meditation as an individual self, as an Ego.
You make efforts to tranquilize your mind.

This activity may be successful up to a certain level, when you suppress your thoughts and emotions with your willpower, reaching transitory peace within you. But you find that state will be lost immediately when you stop concentrating, meditating, and no longer sustain the effort, as your mind returns to its usual activities, the old pre-conditioned patterns.

Meditation therefore does not bring you the lasting peace you have been longing for and the peace independent of your mind that reinforces your existence in the world.

The Nature of Real Meditation

Your attempts at meditation are futile because real meditation is, by nature, effortless.
It does not create an artificial quiet, but allows the deeper dimensions of Alertness to surface.

This is the deep internal Silence that constitutes the real core of man.
The spatial awareness thus acquired remains with you after meditation, for longer and longer periods of time.

You will eventually no longer need meditation, as the deeper dimensions of Alertness are there with you, so every moment in your life will be meditative.

Real meditation is always without object and is never the result of an activity, but Presence in the space of Consciousness.
This natural, effortless Presence is meditation itself.

The deeper dimensions of Alertness, the awakened Consciousness, the world of Silence, are beyond the mind.
This Silence is not forced upon us by some concentration technique but by the indescribable (but experienceable) living emptiness.

Conscious existence in the space of Consciousness.

The Idea of Action

In our present state of consciousness it is almost unimaginable to experience the deeper dimensions of Alertness, as we have been conditioned by your parents and teachers to become “somebody” since our early childhood.

We have been conditioned to look for and find happiness and the objective of our life in the outside world around us.
As an illusionary self, we find the idea of “To be and to do nothing else” is one of the greatest mysteries.

We believe that if we do not act, just sit in our place, mulling over things, we will never find out who we are, and what our chances are in the world of shapes and forms.

In order to consolidate our identity, we have to be active.
It is very difficult not to do anything, because we are used to always doing something.

Our parents have brought us up in the belief that our actions determine who we are.
Our personal identity is rooted in our actions and the results of those actions.

Our personal history is the chronicle of our actions and achievements.
The idea of being active is therefore a product of our conditioned mind, our Ego.

Ambitions to acquire, to achieve something all work as motivations for action in the Ego-dominated mind.
The desire to control, to manage are also powerful urges to act.

As you have seen, these very same forces are the ones that spur you to meditate.
It is, nevertheless, not a bad phenomenon, as active meditation is the first step towards real meditation.

Active meditation consolidates the outermost dimension of Alertness, that, is attention, in you.

To be, and to Do Nothing Else

What you can do is the following:
Allow the deeper dimensions of Alertness to surface in you, so that you are able to recognize yourself as the eternal light of Consciousness.
Then all effort, desire and want of your Ego vanish, you give up the efforts to control things around you.

This is a perfectly relaxed moment, your submission to the moment, the Now.

Real meditation is natural, effortless Presence in the space of Consciousness.
This is the easiest thing in the world, it does not require any effort and concentration, as this is the natural state of your existence.

To be and to do nothing else.