Posts by Sandra Richardson53

I was reading about how common these high-profile out-of-court agreements have become, and it got me thinking about the psychology behind it all. It feels like we're living in an era where nothing ever actually gets "resolved" in a way that provides real closure or public accountability.

Whenever a massive scandal hits, it’s almost always the same pattern: a huge accusation is made, a lot of noise is generated, and then suddenly, everything just goes quiet because a check was signed. To some, it’s just smart business to avoid the headache of a trial, but to me, it feels like it leaves everyone involved—the victims and the public—feeling a bit hollow. It’s like the truth is being traded for silence.

I can't help but wonder if this trend is actually making things better by keeping things private, or if it's just a way for powerful people to buy their way out of facing the consequences of their actions. Does settling actually prevent future issues, or does it just teach people that they can settle their way out of trouble?

Joshua Carter97 said:What has everyone else been experiencing?

Basically, Yoga Nidra is all about staying awake while you're technically sleeping and dreaming... specifically, bringing awareness into that deep sleep state called susupti. See, yogis believe that every single night, that deep sleep pulls us back into unity with Brahman, we just aren't conscious of it. Being able to actually stay aware during susupti? That’s practically enlightenment right there.

On top of that ultimate goal, Yoga Nidra helps you trigger lucid dreaming, astral travel, finding answers to big spiritual questions, and setting a sankalpa—which is basically planting an intention or a "wish"... and so on...

As for my own experience—I practice regularly. I haven't totally mastered it yet, obviously, this is a lifelong grind. Sometimes I stumble onto something, sometimes I find exactly what I was looking for, sometimes it's stuff I didn't even know I wanted to ask... I hallucinate a lot. It's a constant struggle to balance on that razor's edge between sleep and being wide awake. I get all kinds of sensations... visuals, lights, sounds... I don't follow any outside guide, just go by pure intuition from within. So, I end up improvising, exploring that inner headspace, hitting certain levels, getting lost... sometimes I'm deluding myself, and other times the whole thing is just straight-up madness. The technique is phenomenal.

So, what about you? What have you been experiencing?

Sandra Parker3 said:😍

In America, it's not just Washington, D.C. that gets all the attention
you've got these tiny, pristine towns
almost picture-perfect island communities
and highly developed rural areas
where you don't run into people wandering around being small-minded, uneducated, dim-witted, or just plain filthy

It’s rarely the towns themselves dragging things down; it’s always just certain individuals within them

The sum of the parts makes the whole
the environment shapes the people
it’s a feedback loop you can't deny

And regarding those "idyllic" coastal spots
or those tiny hamlets and small towns
just walk into a typical dive bar or cafe in the middle of winter
where the locals hang out
and take a good look at the level of culture, education, and the general state of their minds and souls.

I'm saying go into a dive bar or a cafe because those are the only places people actually gather. The only other spot would be a church, but all you'll find there are a few grandmas wrapped up in black.

Sure, people can be nice, kind, or easygoing. They might even be genuinely hospitable, and you might even have a decent conversation with them for a bit. Some of those little towns might look pretty and charming on a postcard, but you can't ignore the overall backwardness unless you're lying to yourself...

Olivia Ruiz24 said:Honestly, how much time and breath did you waste trying to explain
how soap consumption could possibly serve as a metric for society?

Look, if you actually used your brain for once, Olivia Ruiz24, you’d realize I was just saying that hygiene levels show the level of culture, and culture shows whether a community is backwards or not. If you want to fight me, use actual arguments instead of just attacking me for standing my ground.

Alex Hall4 said:Where did you pull that number from? Is that per day, per week, or per month?

It was per year.
I read it somewhere...
Can't remember exactly
which paper it was in,
pretty sure it was The Miami Herald.

Anyway, some guy used that exact stat
to argue about how backward people are.
If the author was full of it, then I guess I am too.....

Just keep in mind that America isn't just Washington, D.C.
The U.S. is packed with tiny towns, island communities,
rural backwoods, little hamlets,
dead-end roads, and total nothing-burgers
and those dirty little towns...
those places drag down the average on everything, from
soap consumption... to the overall averages for
education, books read, theater trips,
and all that stuff.

steelsailor3 said:For most folks, those aren't even really "interests," they're just fundamental survival needs (well, except for the TV part), though I suppose even that's oversimplifying things, but whatever.
Beyond that basic level, you start seeing actual interests and hobbies that vary wildly from one person to the next.
Regarding that idea of "consciousness oriented only toward matter and consumption"—look, people have to work just to exist in this modern American lifestyle, and yeah, they have to eat to stay alive, but I have to point out that I’ve yet to meet a single soul who does nothing but think about those two things and nothing else.
Most people might seem that way at first glance, but once you actually get to know them, you discover these other passions and niches that everyone else tends to overlook if it doesn't happen to fit their specific taste.

Oh, absolutely. Some spend their free time obsessing over football, some are getting manicures, some are reading tabloids and gossiping about celebrities, and some... well, some just live for the drama.....😍

I totally agree that there are plenty of fascinating people out there with diverse interests, and if you take the time to actually talk to them and get past the surface, you can be pretty pleasantly surprised.

But honestly? I still think the level of ignorance in these online spaces is through the roof. Just look at the stats—in the US, the average person uses way more soap than you'd think, yet hygiene levels can be such a tell-tale sign of how backward a society is. That kind of physical sloppiness usually goes hand-in-hand with being intellectually, creatively, and spiritually dull. Of course, it’s different in big cities like New York or LA, much like how it differs among the youth and the educated crowd.

Anyway, that's just my two cents... 🙂

steelsailor3 said:Regarding the idea that people lack interests and lead lives centered around just two or three worries—I wouldn't say that's entirely accurate.
The average American actually deals with quite a few more burdens than that, and when we talk about a lack of interest, is it that they truly have none, or just that they lack interest in things beyond their own immediate, "self-centered" concerns?
And while suggesting they look for like-minded people on the forum isn't a bad tip, I’d probably suggest they get out even more and mingle with people in the real world to broaden those horizons.

It's all "me, myself, and I"—that's basically the philosophical baseline for most people out there. It's a consciousness totally obsessed with material stuff and mindless consumption.... They might differ slightly in how "refined" they are, but it's the same deal. Food, housing, Netflix, eating, sex. That's pretty much the whole spectrum right there.

Sandra Parker3 said:Where on earth did you read that? Please, give me a source
unless this is just purely your own opinion.

just plain old observation
you really think I'm wrong?

I totally get where you're coming from,

and honestly, it’s not just some small-town thing... it happens everywhere in this country.

Most people out there just don't have any real interests. They live these incredibly shallow lives where they only care about two or three trivial things and barely use more than five hundred words a day. Sure, they might glance at a newspaper, but they couldn't tell you a single thing they actually read if their life depended on it. It's like they're stuck in this primitive, tribal mindset... nothing more.

Personally, I’ve got a handful of friends who actually share my interests. When we hang out, the conversations are intense, fast-paced, and actually feed my brain. Everything else? Just mindless chatter that makes me want to shut up and walk away.

But look, there are some seriously sharp, witty, and educated people on this forum with all sorts of wild interests. They write stuff that's actually inspiring. So, if your local scene is totally suffocating, you’ve found the right spot. You can find your people here in this digital space instead.

Jeremy Davis7 said:I'm just talking about you, kid... that's all!😉

Love is this wild, shifting thing happening inside your own heart. It’s always, and I mean *always*, about ME. It’s about what that other person actually represents to us—what kind of raw reactions, vibes, or pure joy they trigger deep down inside ourselves. At the end of the day, we approach someone because we're looking for a way to merge... whether that's through some heavy, rough passion or something a bit more subtle and refined... just to find a little bit of comfort for our own souls...

Compassion isn't just some soft, fuzzy feeling... it’s about being fully present in that OTHER person. It means you actually get them. You feel what they're going through, you understand their struggle, and every single thing you say or do is focused on looking out for them. Through compassion, you basically step right into their shoes. You lose that whole "me, me, me" ego through this sense of oneness... because deep down, you realize that other person isn't some stranger. They're just another version of you...

Compassion is way deeper than love. Like, seriously. Love still has those selfish streaks in it, you know? It’s still about *you*. But compassion... that's different. You actually give yourself over to someone else. It strips away the ego and makes you truly selfless... turns you into something better...

What you’re feeding little Ishvara has zero to do with compassion or love... seriously. If you think Ishvarin's way of loving is somehow "flawed," or if you're looking at her swans out on the lake and deciding they're just some sign of emotional immaturity—then there's absolutely no reason to mock her or make her the butt of your jokes. Especially since you were just talking about how much that other guy moved you in that other thread... so maybe check yourself...

Joshua Carter97 said:I frequently find myself in a situation where people either absolutely adore me or can't stand my guts... which is perfectly fine in my personal life, but I'm struggling with how to handle it professionally. It’s honestly pretty disheartening to discover that there are several colleagues who would much rather I didn't work with them anymore. 😢

Why do you even care if they like you?

placidjackal36 said:Sure, physical touch matters a lot to babies. That's basically their primary way of communicating—through contact. It makes them feel better.

But I don't see how that refutes the fact that the heart is just a muscular pump. You aren't going to trip me up with that kind of rhetoric; I'm immune to those sentimental, heart-tugging stories. (I've dealt with enough hardship to develop a thick skin.)

Look, everything's fine, you just said the heart is *only a muscular pump*. And I was just saying it isn't, and that babies know that in their own way.

Touch—and specifically connecting with someone's heart—matters to everyone, not just babies. It’s great being immune to those tear-jerkers, but you don't want your heart to get too hardened either. Sure, you won't suffer, but the trade-off is that with a heart that stiff, you won't really enjoy life much either...🙂

placidharbor7 said:Why not just give your Kozmologos a nickname based on your own style? Then maybe you won't have to keep asking placidharbor7 about his latest little invention!

If he comes for me, I'm coming for him.

Until then, my Beloved....🙂, life’s just easier when you feel like there’s someone up in the heavens watching your back.

Just kidding.

Actually, not even kidding. I talk to Him all the time.

Brahman becomes Ishvara (the Almighty) within creation.

placidharbor7 said:We "perceive" "God" in the exact same way we perceive "ourselves" or our own "ego."
To us, "God" is about as tangible as "last year's snowfall."
The concept of "God" simply sits at the table of our own thoughts, where His angels are nothing more than the cherubs of our own imaginations.

CONSCIOUSNESS—assuming it even exists—is supreme, standing even above such a constructed "God."
If "God" were actually out there, He would know about CONSCIOUSNESS just as much as His creation, humanity, does; in other words, He would know absolutely nothing.

It’s all just "Bemu" and things like that "higher power."

Pretty well put...

But still.....

who or what exactly is this "Kozmologos" you're always bringing up?

placidharbor7 said:What a total joke!

Man, he’s spot on...

If you actually want to read it, Oliver Haddou has a link in his signature to some e-books. You can find a PDF of "I Am That" by Nisargadatta Maharaja there. It’s an American translation—honestly, the quality is pretty rough, but it gets the point across enough to read...

hiddenpuma75 said:I’d like to share a dialogue from what I consider to be one of the most important books in existence, if not the most important. 😲

I AM THAT - by NISARGADATTA MAHARAJ

Conversations with a cigarette vendor from New York City—a man who reached "the other shore."

*****

Fisherman: How can I plan my life using my free will?

Nisargadatta: Why bother planning? Questions like that just reveal inner tension.
Realize that you aren't the master of everything that unfolds.
You can't control the future, except perhaps in purely technical matters.
----------------------------------------------------------------
P: I agree, I'm certainly not the master of all that happens. More like a slave.

NM: Don't be the master, and don't be the slave. Just remain detached.
------------------------------------------------------

P: Does that mean avoiding action altogether?

NM: YOU CANNOT AVOID ACTION. It happens, just like everything else.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

P: But surely I can control my own decisions and choices!
NM: Try it. YOU WILL SOON DISCOVER THAT YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU MUST.

----------------------------------------------------------

P: But I am able to act according to my free will.

NM. YOU ONLY KNOW YOUR WILL AFTER YOU HAVE ALREADY ACTED.

----------------------------------------------------------------

P: What if I simply remember my desires and decisions, and then act accordingly?

NM: In that case, it is your memory deciding, NOT YOU.
-----------------------------------------------------

P: But doesn't free will actually exist? Am I not free to want things? 😢

NM: Oh, no. You are compelled to want. Did you know that in Hinduism, the very idea of free will doesn't even exist—to the point that the language doesn't even have a word for it!
Will is just attachment; it is fixation. It is a bond.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

P: Then I am free to choose my own boundaries.

NM: First, you have to be free. To be free within the world, you must be free FROM the world. Otherwise, your past is making the decisions for you. You find yourself trapped between what happened and what must happen. You might call that fate or KARMA, but it is never what you call it—freedom.
First, you must return to your true self (experience who you really are—self-realization), and only then can you act from the heart of pure love.

The mind can only help you identify what isn't true. But if you want real, positive knowledge, you have to move beyond the mind. The Absolute is that which transcends the mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P:
Is there anything in the entire universe that is truly worth anything?

NM: Yes. The power of love. 🙂

"I am" is God itself.
The hunt for truth is God.

When you're searching, you finally realize you aren't just some meat suit or a bundle of thoughts... and that the love you feel for your own soul is the exact same thing as the love for the soul in everyone else.

It's all one.

Your consciousness and mine—it looks like we're two different people, right? Wrong. We're one. We're both chasing that unity, and that's what love is.

Nisargadatta Maharaj...

🙂

My take on that heart picture from placidjackal36.

placidjackal36 says: The heart is nothing more than a muscular pump pushing blood around. It doesn't feel pain—pain is just a reaction to chemical changes, like when oxygen runs low—it just has its own "power source." It doesn't need the brain to function. As long as you keep it fed and oxygenated, and keep it warm and wet, it’ll keep on beating.

Even tiny little babies "know" deep down that isn't🙂

mistybison said:Is believing in something greater than ourselves—a deeper purpose behind our existence—merely the initial spark that sets us on a spiritual journey, or is it a constant companion along the way? Can spirituality truly exist without God, regardless of how one defines Him? Is it possible to be spiritual without being a believer? Furthermore, if you feel you "know" something for certain, how do you distinguish actual knowledge from simply having faith in what you know?

Look, I agree it’s there at the start, and yeah, it acts like a guide for a while... until you hit that wall where you're just like, "Wait a second, what's going on here? I'm just believing blindly and nothing is happening." You start demanding proof.

mistybison said:Is believing in something greater than ourselves—a deeper purpose behind our existence—merely the initial spark that sets us on a spiritual journey, or is it a constant companion along the way? Can spirituality truly exist without God, regardless of how one defines Him? Is it possible to be spiritual without being a believer? Furthermore, if you feel you "know" something for certain, how do you distinguish actual knowledge from simply having faith in what you know?

Sure it can. Just look at Zen, Buddhism, or Taoism, for example...

mistybison said:Is believing in something greater than ourselves—a deeper purpose behind our existence—merely the initial spark that sets us on a spiritual journey, or is it a constant companion along the way? Can spirituality truly exist without God, regardless of how one defines Him? Is it possible to be spiritual without being a believer? Furthermore, if you feel you "know" something for certain, how do you distinguish actual knowledge from simply having faith in what you know?

Hell yeah, they can...

mistybison said:Is believing in something greater than ourselves—a deeper purpose behind our existence—merely the initial spark that sets us on a spiritual journey, or is it a constant companion along the way? Can spirituality truly exist without God, regardless of how one defines Him? Is it possible to be spiritual without being a believer? Furthermore, if you feel you "know" something for certain, how do you distinguish actual knowledge from simply having faith in what you know?

It isn't enough to just read books, talk about it, or watch from the sidelines. You have to actually do the work. You need to practice spiritual exercises, and I don't mean half-heartedly either... you need to do it with total intensity. That's when things actually start moving. That's when God starts answering.

How does a person know God is answering? They just know. They just know...

I just set up my profile and I can't for the life of me get an avatar to stick. Every time I try to save my changes after picking an image, the URL just disappears... totally wipes itself out. How do I fix this mess?