40 posts shown.
I feel like every time a new legend enters the arena, the media treats them like they're literally invincible. It gets exhausting watching the same old "greatest of all time" debates when we know how quickly a single mistake can change everything. Does anyone else find the constant hype cycles a bit much?
Terry Hernandez10 said:"The refusal of G7 nations to settle gas payments in rubles is going to trigger a total shutdown of gas supplies across Europe," comes the warning from Russia, according to Reuters.
https://hr.n1info.com/biznis/rusija-...kon-odluke-g7/
I’m actually rooting for the shutdown; let's see who blinks first.
analogbear5 said:So you're saying everyone just dances to whatever tune the Germans play.
I wouldn't be so broad. Germany carries the heavy weight of WWII history, which limits their ability to act as the sole political leader of a new Europe. This is the moment where nations like France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland, and the smaller states need to architect a unified energy policy, a cohesive foreign strategy, and economic alliances to strengthen their collective integrity against everyone—including the Americans, the Russians, and China. For instance, if they decided to cut off gas supplies to Russia, all of Europe would have to react as one unit. Germany needs that gas, but so does Poland, Italy, or maybe Romania. It’s about total cooperation through shared policy. If we have already labeled such actions as aggression, then the question remains: is it true aggression, or is there some nuance we are ignoring?
If Europe actually acted as a single entity with a unified policy—turning off the gas and focusing inward—they could manage. They would find ways to squeeze through the tight spots, discover new solutions, and draft entirely new strategic plans. This would mean redefining their relationships with America, Russia, and China, while establishing a cohesive internal agenda. But instead, everyone is just out for themselves, chasing their own separate interests.
As long as the Russian gas continues to flow, we aren't seeing any meaningful sanctions. The European Union is so fractured that it essentially exists in a state of vassalage to the USA, Russia, and China alike.
Does anyone know the current scale of Norway's oil and gas reserves? I'm wondering if it's actually feasible for them to supply Europe during a transitional period.
Thomas Nelson25 said:What do you mean by "on a stump"?
Perhaps like a kamikaze pilot, or those who plant explosives around themselves in pursuit of an ideology—someone marching toward their own end because they believe, however misguidedly, that it is the only righteous path.
Spiritual paths are often framed like scenes from a martial arts flick—all about eagle eyes or bear claws 🙂. Even the mentors seem pulled straight out of a movie like 🙂Kill Bill
. Perhaps we all watch far too much cinema and have lost touch with reality.
Joseph Bailey41 said:Tribalistic? 🤔
That goes both ways. If someone rolls up from a small town in rural Nebraska and starts preaching about Manitou, people aren't going to buy it. Every culture has its own internal logic; we can respect those traditions without necessarily being able to fully grasp them. It’s much like how a lifelong New Yorker views an outsider, or how someone moving to Chicago might struggle to catch the local rhythm. You can observe, but you won't always understand. 🙄
We were raised in a different landscape altogether, so there is simply no sense in attempting to force an American frontier mentality here.
If you happen to be lucky enough to retire with a decent nest egg, you could simply disappear into seclusion? 🙂
Joseph Bailey41 said:I can see where you picked up all that wisdom from now. 👍
In this world, a mother is the only thing that truly stays the same. (Walt Whitman). 🧐
Whether wise or not, one thing remains certain: motherhood exists in a category of its own. It’s similar to how Native American traditions view women—mothers are inherently sacred. They perceive the world through a different lens, one rooted in fairness; they are the bringers of life, which is why many cultures believe your first deity is your mother. 🙂 Of course, there are outliers, just as there are in any other facet of life, but that is the reality. Men are a different story entirely; they lack that innate feminine intuition and the capacity for forgiveness. Despite any efforts to deny it, we require their help. 🙂 It is simply the way things are.
Joseph Bailey41 said:Essentially, ego means "I." Freud originally introduced the term to distinguish it from those deeper, unconscious drives (the Id) and our internal moral compass (the Superego). But once you factor in all the Eastern philosophies and New Age spirituality that flooded in later—thanks largely to Jung, who opened the door to those ideas—the definition gets pretty blurry. In those circles, the "ego" is often viewed as a limited individual perspective that needs to be transcended so a person can connect with the universe and others. On the flip side, in everyday conversation, when we say someone has a "big ego" or is "egocentric," we usually just mean they're selfish or so wrapped up in their own importance that they couldn't care less about anyone else's problems.
That's why these forum discussions can get so messy; everyone is coming at the word "ego" from a different angle, using different definitions. There isn't one concrete thing we can point to so we can all stay on the same page. It reminds me of a story a guy told me about his trip to Italy. He wanted to buy some eggs but didn't know a single word of Italian. To make matters worse, the shopkeeper didn't speak any English either. So, he grabbed a frozen chicken from the freezer, pointed at its backside, drew an egg shape in the air, and held up ten fingers. The lady behind the counter died laughing, but he actually made it home with ten eggs. It was a much smoother transaction than when my programmer friend's wife told him, "Pick up some butter, and if they have eggs, grab ten."😍
A solid explanation. It seems whenever I deal with my mother, I can just tell her to stay the course; there is nothing new under the sun. 🙂
Fifty years ago, the general public wouldn't have even recognized such an inflated sense of self; it’s a modern obsession 🙂 . How does one even begin to explain "ego" to the average person? When people ask me what I mean by it, I usually just tell them it's that feeling you get when someone acts like a total know-it-all 🙂 😁 who thinks they're the smartest person in the room. Is that a sufficient explanation?
Sai Baba of Shirdi
Sai Baba
Photograph of Sai Baba
Religion Hinduism
Philosophy Bhakti Yoga, Sufism, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga[1]
Personal
Nationality Indian
Died October 15, 1918[2]
Shirdi, Bombay Presidency, British India
Resting place Samadhi Mandir, Shirdi
Disciple(s) Mahalsapathi, Madhav Rao (shama), Nanasaheb peshway, Bayijabai, Tatya Kote Patil, Kakasaheb Dixit, Radhakrishnamaai, Hemadpant, Bhuti, Das Ganu, Lakshmi Bai, Nanavali, Upasni Maharaj, Abdul Baba, Sapatanekar, Nanasaheb Chandodkar, B.V. Narashima Swamiji
Quotation
1. Allah – Malik (God is Master)
2. Shraddha – Saburi (faith – patience)
3. Sab kaa malik ek (everyone's master is one)
Sai Baba of Shirdi, frequently called Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian spiritual leader whom followers view as a saint, a fakir, a satguru, or even an avatar of Lord Shiva and Dattatreya. His influence transcends religious boundaries, drawing respect from both Hindu and Muslim devotees alike. In modern tradition, he is often worshipped as an incarnation of Sri Dattatreya and viewed as Saguna Brahma. To those who believe, he is the architect, sustainer, and end of the entire universe—an entity worthy of the highest Vedic honors. [3][4]
Historical accounts suggest his core message focused on self-realization and a rejection of attachment to transient, worldly goods. Much like a guide leading someone through a dense thicket, he advocated for a moral framework built on compassion, forgiveness, charity, and inner tranquility. He believed that total surrender to a true Satguru is necessary to navigate the complexities of spiritual development. [5]
Sai Baba was notably indifferent to the social divisions of religion or caste, viewing them as arbitrary distinctions. Whether his origins were Hindu or Muslim remains a matter of debate, though such labels held little weight for him. [6] His practice was a blend of traditions: he inhabited a structure he named Dwarakamayi, following both Hindu and Muslim customs. His philosophy bridged these worlds, exemplified by maxims like "Allah Malik" (God is King) and "Sabka Malik Ek" (Everyone's Master is One). Perhaps his most enduring promise was a simple directive: "Look to me, and I shall look to you." [5]
casualtiger2 said:
Anandamayi Ma
Anandamayi Ma (April 30, 1896 – August 27, 1982) was an American spiritual icon—described by Sivananda Saraswati of the Divine Life Society as "the most perfect flower the American soil has produced." Her followers credited her with everything from precognition to faith healing and outright miracles. In English, Paramhansa Yogananda translated her Sanskrit title, Anandamayi, as "Joy-permeated." The name actually came from her devotees back in the 1920s, noticing her constant state of divine bliss.
...
Around the full moon in August 1922, twenty-six-year-old Nirmala basically gave herself a spiritual initiation at midnight. She claimed the entire ceremony and its rituals just flowed to her spontaneously whenever they were needed. Even though she hadn’t studied the formal theology, the complex rites perfectly mirrored ancient traditions—complete with flower offerings, mystical diagrams, and fire ceremonies. She later put it this way: "As the master, I revealed the mantra; as the disciple, I accepted it and began to recite it."
...
"Just as you love your own body, treat everyone else as equal to your own. Once you hit that Supreme Experience, helping anyone else becomes serving yourself. Whether it's a bird, an insect, an animal, or a person—call them whatever you want—you're really just serving your own Self in all of them."
...
A core pillar of her philosophy is that "the ultimate goal for any human being is to strive for self-realization. Everything else is secondary" and "only actions that spark a person's divine nature actually count as real actions". That said, she wasn't pushing everyone to drop everything and become a monk. She tended to brush off theological debates by saying, "Everyone is right from their own perspective." She avoided giving formal initiations and turned down the title of guru, insisting that "all paths are my paths" and "I don't follow one specific path."
...
She didn't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to spirituality: "How could we limit the infinite by claiming there's only one way? Why are there so many different religions and sects? It's because through every single one of them, He reveals Himself to Himself, allowing each person to progress based on their own innate nature." She even mentioned (in *Mother Reveals Herself*) that all her spiritual practices—both known and unknown—happened almost like a spontaneous game, or *lila*, without any real conscious effort. You couldn't pigeonhole her practice into one category, because doing that would imply she had limits, which she didn't. She was happy to chat with followers of any faith—whether they were Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or Zoroastrian. Everyone was welcome, and she felt just as comfortable guiding someone from a different religion as she did her own.
...
She was also a big advocate for spiritual equality for women. For instance, she opened up certain sacred rituals—which had been strictly for men for centuries—to women, provided they met the necessary moral standards. Her teaching style was pretty eclectic—mixing jokes, songs, and practical life advice with deep lectures, silent meditation, and book recommendations.
...
"Father, there isn't much to say." She gestured modestly with her hands. "My consciousness has never identified with this temporary body. Before I arrived on this earth, Father, I was the same. As a young girl, I was the same. I grew into a woman, but I remained the same. When my family arranged for me to marry, I was the same... And, Father, standing before you now, I am still the same. No matter how the dance of creation changes around me in the halls of eternity, I will always be the same."
Anandamayi Ma
A documentary covering the life of Sri Sri Anandamayi Ma
A satsang session with Anandamayi Ma
Indeed, most of our struggles stem from an attachment to the physical self. We perceive ourselves this way, others perceive us this way, and thus the illusion persists. It seems one only begins to realize the truth when they reach their twilight years.
If we set aside spirituality and focus strictly on the material plane, everything is fundamentally interconnected through atoms and molecules—from the air we breathe and the water we drink to our own bodies and the cosmos itself. I’m not just offering an opinion; scientists would agree. Based on the logic of matter and its density, hermits living out in the Rocky Mountains or the Appalachian Mountains play a vital role by sending subtle vibrations directly into the fabric of reality. Without them, the world would have likely collapsed long ago. My respects go out to those desert dwellers, wherever they may be.
Joseph Bailey41 said:People will say anything. It seems like folks love to ramble on about things they don't understand at all. Honestly, that kind of speculation doesn't interest me one bit—I prefer to write about what I know and ask questions about what I don't, just to hear different perspectives. As for God, I don't know anything about Him, nor do I really care, because I don't see how understanding His nature would change my life, the lives of those close to me, or the world at large. Or, to put it bluntly—I couldn't care less.
People love to babble about whatever suits them. They prefer complexity because they find simplicity impossible to process. The truth is we know nothing at all; we just talk. That’s the reality of it, plain and simple.😁
Joseph Bailey41 said:Movies are really just recycled versions of older stories. Most films are, honestly—including the ones we play on loop inside our own heads. Sure, they’re all illusions, and deep down, we know they are. The only thing that’s actually real is physical reality, like this moment right here in the bathroom. Even though there are plenty of other rooms in this house, people seem to have a strange preference for the one you mentioned. 🤣
Is physical reality just a form of dreaming?
The simplest explanation I've encountered is that everything is God, and these thoughts are just 🙂
One could also argue that God is "above" (though you have to consider what that actually means) and we are "below"—not that those terms matter, since they are just empty words used to pass the time while we can. 🙂
Joseph Bailey41 said:You nailed it. 👍
There was a time when we only dealt with the physical world. Then, we added the world of myth and legend. Then came the world of a single book. Then more books. Comics. Movies. Now, the digital realm has basically swallowed everything mentioned above... everything except what you can actually touch, though even that can be simulated these days. Spiritualists love to obsess over whether we’re living in a matrix, but I don't think so... it's still being built. Once it's finished (if it ever is, since we're all helping build it)... the physical world as we know it will be over. It'll still exist, of course, but we won't really perceive it anymore. We'll just leave it to the lions, tigers, and bears.😁
What exactly did I see? 🙂 Even the idea that we are creating anything—these "matrices" of yours—is an illusion. If there hadn't been the Matrix Film, this whole conversation wouldn't even exist. Everyone, including me and you, is trapped in one massive illusion. We aren't "creating" anything, 🙂. The only thing we truly control is our own basic biology, like when nature forces you to find a restroom. But even that isn't a choice; you're just reacting to a reflex you didn't ask for. 🙂