You? Honestly, you’re still trying to convince yourself for another year that she actually loves you.
Look, I didn't specify *how many* blocks I was stacking. In my case, it feels less like building a tower and more like tectonic plates shifting... but hey, when they finally collide, you get that satisfying, earth-shattering crash eventually. 😉
Anyway, have you two ever tried my little method? When I'm in a foul mood, I stay off the forums entirely (I usually only log on when I'm feeling good—or when I specifically want someone to tear me apart), and if someone happens to cross my path in person, I give them a fair warning to back off. I tell them not to ask a single question until I've cooled down, unless, of course, they’re looking to become my personal punching bag for whatever frustration I'm dealing with at that moment.
Actually, I started doing exactly that recently. It turns out I have a knack for catching people off guard... plus, the self-control really does help. For instance, earlier today, some guy on a bike started screaming at me because I cut him off—which, mind you, he practically invited by riding right in the middle of the street while a semi-truck was trying to pass us (go figure)... My hand instinctively flew up and my middle finger was halfway there, but at the very last second, I managed to pivot it into what looked like a perfectly innocent wave.
Might be for the best, though, since the guy caught up to me at the next intersection. 😁 Wouldn't want to end up in handcuffs because of a misunderstanding with local PD...
Jack Harris3 said:I mean, were they actually looking him in the eye when they said it, or was it more of a subtle, side-eyed thing?😁>
Oooo, a nice one! 😁 No way—for that kind of stuff, he’s strictly reserved for high-pitched squeals of pure delight. 🙂
Look, I actually tried to mess with him back in the day just to be romantic, but it honestly didn't work out at all. 😂 He didn't go running off to cry in a corner or anything; he just stayed right where he was, totally stone-faced, so I figured, hey, whatever, it is what it is. 🙂 It's just straight-up teasing. 😁 👍 [/B]
Nobody’s ever going to like me when I've got my armor on. 🙂 Seriously—when I try to lift up my heavy plating to show some girl the light from my heart, and she just ends up biting me where it's soft... man, I just completely crumble. 😉
So, all that really means is you’re hyper-sensitive to those tiny, subtle nuances in any given situation—and then you end up carrying that energy from one thing to the next, even when the two situations have absolutely nothing to do with each other.
I mean, look at me—I’m usually calm to a fault; honestly, it takes a lot to actually get under my skin. But then, out of nowhere, I’ll be having a perfectly pleasant conversation with someone, smiling away... and five minutes later, I’m snapping at them just to make sure they get the point. My habit of lashing out without warning isn't exactly fair to people, I know. But it happens because certain things from a completely unrelated context trigger me, and if something else happens to stack on top of *that*... well, look at today. I was already in a foul mood because of something else, and then I ended up flying off the handle at those posts over on Reddit—posts I wouldn't even blink at on any other day. Maybe it’s a similar kind of thing with you?
I am the Great Pretender.... 😉 Well, my wives have already told me I'm pretty soft... and honestly, it’s true—it happened while they were giving me those sweet belly rubs... 😬
If that’s the case, then I’m basically 98% pure nonsense—because, believe it or not, I actually stand by the absolute nonsense I write. But honestly? That’s only because I’ve reached such a high level of spiritual enlightenment that I’ve grasped the ultimate Truth—which is what Americans would call:
Whatever floats your boat. 😉
Though, I suppose I should probably label myself as a moderate. "The Golden Mean" is pretty much my life's motto—moderation in all things, really. Even when I'm playing an RPG, my character is always going to be True Neutral—or maybe Neutral Good, if I'm feeling particularly righteous one day. 😁
velvetpilot212 said:Oh, hollowviper72, you always have such an idealized view of things...
Well, someone has to do it! Honestly, what kind of world would we even inhabit without the idealists—those folks who keep getting crushed by the relentless winds of reality, only to rise again like a phoenix from their own ashes, singing odes to the sun, the wind, and eternal love? I mean, aren't we all just making the day a little brighter with our whimsical little dance through it all? 😉
velvetpilot212 said:Jack Harris3, with all due respect, I have to remind you—Eric Scott65 isn't looking for life lessons delivered via finger-wagging; they're searching for a spiritual leader, a true guru.
Let me set the record straight here! Eric Scott65 wasn't actually asking for advice—they were simply asking for our take on the whole concept of seeking out a spiritual guru or mentor. Honestly, if you ask me, Eric Scott65 is more than capable of carving their own path to the stars without needing anyone else to clear the thorns from the way. 🙂
Ryan Wilson2 said:Look, here's the thing... when you're performing a classic, driving pentagram ritual, you have to summon four Angels. Since I've been doing this for years now, I've gotten really good at visualizing them vividly. But—to make sure things don't just feel "fluffy" or superficial—I’ll often blend in the Water element by picturing everything from a dead-calm ocean to a massive tsunami. 😉
I remember back about six years ago when I first started dabbling in Hermeticism—I got all the way to the invocation stage with the pentagrams and the Angels... but honestly, I couldn't stop myself from smirking and giggling while trying to summon them. It was impossible to take it seriously, so I eventually just threw in the towel. 😁
Anyway, staying on the main topic here—physical appearance can actually reveal someone's spiritual practice. It’s a simple fact: what happens on the inside eventually reflects on the outside. [/B]
Exactly, and it works the other way too, just like Oleander mentioned. Though, if you ask me, I think it’s less about raw physical features and more about that certain "vibe" or aura a person carries—that overall impression they leave on you, rather than just pure aesthetics.
And if you want to know just how much these entrepreneurs are pulling in... I heard a rumor about one "world-renowned" tarot reader who can charge upwards of $18,000 per session... though, naturally, she mostly caters to the crowd that can actually swing that kind of cash.
The world is absolutely crawling with these types of healers, spiritual gurus, life coaches, and other "fiscally enlightened" individuals. Honestly, that’s exactly why the whole movement feels so diluted. But hey, that’s how it’ll stay as long as there’s money to be made. As long as there are people with deep pockets, they'll keep trying to buy their way out of guilt, renovate their souls, and try to give their consciences a fresh coat of paint.
Ryan Wilson2 said:Honestly... at my age, I look pretty decent—I’m certainly not sick, and I definitely don't look like some demon from a horror movie.😁
So... something just doesn't add up here.😈
Exactly. It's obvious you're calling upon Angels, yet here you are spinning tall tales for us.😉
But it's true—you can't exactly summon demons if you aren't in peak physical condition. That's why I haven't even thought about summoning anything for a long, long time.😉
Jimmy, I’ll be sprinting up Mount Rainier once I can finally manage to run a full loop around Central Park on flat ground again. I'm telling you, I've started to remember what it feels like... though I wouldn't say I'm quite there yet. I probably need another month or two of solid training before I'm back to my old self. I haven't done any real exercise in five years. But thank God I had the sense to realize that a strong spirit is best kept in a strong body at 25, rather than waking up one day at 35 and realizing I've turned into a "Fat Bastard"...
I guess I got lucky that I haven't worn myself out too much over the years.😛
jimmy jazz said:Well, what I’m trying to get at is this... we waste way too much life force dealing with physical tension. Everything feels significantly more beautiful and effortless when your body is firm and "clean." And by clean, I mean healthy from the inside out. 😉 😍
Man, you aren't kidding. Honestly, after years of being totally sedentary, I’ve finally started remembering what it actually feels like to be capable—you know, like when you can crush a full loop around Central Park 3.7 miles without breaking a sweat... or when you can fly up four flights of stairs without feeling like your lungs are going to collapse... when your body feels like a coiled spring, everything just feels light and your step is bouncy. Yeah. I really let that slip away, and it wasn't until just now that I realized how much I truly missed it.
Exactly. I honestly think that old proverb works better as a mindset than a literal recipe... so, having that core attitude—taking care of our physical selves within our own means, as you put it—is what actually matters. It’s far more vital than the specific mechanics of how or where we do it. After all, if someone truly doesn't care about their body... can they really claim to care about their spirit? I'm not just making a sweeping declaration here, but I firmly believe the mind and body are intertwined on so many levels. Can a person who neglects their physical well-being even begin to grasp that deep connection?
Ascetics try to suppress the body to such an extreme degree that nothing remains but the mind. But I was really struck by that one part in "Little Caesars" where Microsoft—who was an ascetic himself back then—realizes that lesson from a wandering musician... "if you tighten the string too much, it will snap. If you let it lax, it will not play." 🙂
So, I was just sitting here thinking—it occurred to me that while we’ve been diving deep into all these spiritual topics 😁 we haven't really touched upon how we maintain our earthly temples. You know, they always say "a healthy mind resides in a healthy body"—so, it makes me wonder: how often are we actually polishing the floors of our own little sanctuaries? Are our windows covered in cobwebs and our walls crumbling from neglect?
Here is a question to kick off a discussion: can someone who neglects their physical self truly progress spiritually at the same rate as someone who takes care of themselves (assuming both have the actual capacity to look after their health)? Is the body even relevant to our spiritual journey, or do you think whoever coined that old cliché was just completely out of it...
I can't help but feel that the actual quality of the energy we put out there depends almost entirely on our mental, physical, and spiritual alignment—which is why I truly believe that healers who are genuinely dedicated to their craft can achieve so much more than those "practical" businessmen just looking at the bottom line. That said, my take is that true, powerful healers are incredibly rare; though, granted, anyone can learn to facilitate healing to a certain extent (even I can soothe minor aches and pains, and my old man could too, in his own way). Most of these people charging premium rates for such services? They’re usually just charlatans preying on people's gullibility—or even worse, capitalizing on desperation and that deep, subconscious craving for relief. The human mind is an incredibly potent thing, and there are certain individuals who have mastered exactly which levers to pull and when—and they certainly make a killing doing it.
Ryan Wilson2 said:A guy just reached out—someone who thinks he’s got the soul of a dragon and hangs out with vampires.😁
Honestly, what can I say? I’m just charmingly eccentric. 🙂 And you really had to go and call me a vampire... we were playing a little game of Google-spy, weren't we? Ah, those were the days—though, let's be real, vampires are generally totally out of their minds. 😁
The Teacher would probably smack you upside the head right then, hit you with some nonsensical Zen riddle, and shove you straight into enlightenment (you know, an altered state of consciousness).
Or, if they weren't in the mood, they'd just send you off to wash the dishes instead of spending all day stealing moments while staring at the clouds.
Maybe. Or maybe they'd just give a subtle nod. You never really know with those Zen teachers... 😉 Besides, the dishes *do* need washing—even an enlightened person needs something to eat, after all.
Anyway, I’ve got more voices in my head, so I WIN! 😛
Of course they don't get it—you just haven't reached that level yet, my friend. 🙂Look, I think you're a great guy, really—in the same way that Spock is likable to McCoy—but when it comes to certain things, you're still a bit... green. 😉
Let me try to break this down. You said it yourself: we are the ones who matter most. The essence of spirituality lies in both introspection *and* extrospection—in reflecting on the world outside us and the inner workings of our own souls. No one can tell us who we are... and what "the world" actually is depends entirely on who we are. We experience reality through the prism of our own being rather than some absolute, objective form, you know? That’s why we are our own best Teacher. But—and this is the key part—we aren't *enough* on our own. A spiritual person strives to see and understand all facets of reality by observing their own life, the lives of others, and the patterns of the world itself.
Think about it this way: a street vendor selling corn at a specific time and place (which is crucial—because everything is about timing and context) might offer up a profound life lesson, whereas at any other time or location, she’s just someone selling snacks to us.
It’s the same for everything else. I actually learned an IMPORTANT lesson just a few days ago—simply by staring at the clouds. Now, I look at the clouds every single day. But I was only prepared to catch that specific lesson right then and there—not a day before, not an hour later. What kind of lesson it was doesn't matter to anyone but me, but the world in its entirety is full of Teachers at every turn. It just comes down to whether we are actually ready to notice them.
So, one of the very first steps on the path of spirituality—something any worthwhile Teacher will tell you—is raising your level of consciousness. It means keeping your mind wide open to the experiences of living, rather than just existing like a daydreamer stuck in a perpetual half-sleep, which, unfortunately, is how most people drift through life.
People often say that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. But I think most folks misinterpret that whole sentiment—they view it as some sort of mystical, fated moment where a mentor descends from the heavens just because you've "earned" it. That’s not it at all. The reality is that you don't go out hunting for a teacher—usually, if you try, you just end up stumbling upon ego-trippers looking to feed their own sense of self-importance. Most of them use these subtle little psychological tricks to nudge people into worshipping them, which actually pulls you away from true spirituality; they redirect your focus toward themselves rather than toward your own path and inner reflections.
Spirituality is such a deeply personal journey, and because of that, *not a single* teacher can dictate the specific path you ought to take. A teacher is more like someone holding a flashlight in a dark forest—they might illuminate a dozen different trails, but you’re the one who decides which way to step.
So, circling back to that idea of the teacher appearing once the student is ready. The point isn't that teachers are hard to find. In fact, they are everywhere. They don't have to be world-renowned sages or figures from ancient mythology. A teacher could be... a child, a close friend, a stranger passing by, or even a street vendor selling roasted corn in a small town outside of Des Moines... it could be a sudden gust of wind at just the right moment, a quiet morning, or an unusually striking evening. Even a stone on a beach. The world as a whole is constantly teaching us.
A stone? Honestly, sometimes even a rock can hold a profound lesson... though explaining how or why feels almost redundant. Those who are truly ready—they just get it. And those who aren't? Well, you could bring in every wise soul on the planet and you still wouldn't be able to convince them otherwise. 🙂 That’s why, once a student is truly ready, they realize the teacher has been there all along.
Anyway, I hope this offers at least a little bit of clarity. Just keep doing the work on your own spiritual growth—since there’s no magic recipe for it anyway—and you'll eventually see that some of life's most beautiful and profound lessons don't come from a human mind at all. As the saying goes, no artist can ever truly surpass Nature... 🙂
chagljev hihot said:Hmm... if we look at it through the lens of an I Ching _____ Stem line, once it hits its peak, it transitions into a Flap style (__ __)... and vice versa. There’s definitely some kind of magic at play here.
🙂
Is this some kind of new version of the I Ching? 😉 Forget about Yin and Yang—now we're dealing with the Stem and the Flap...