1084 posts shown.
Sandra Murphy33 said:😂
👍
That is exactly how I picture her! It’s like a sort of gentle, beautiful strictness—a pure dialectical paradox.
😁 (I haven't actually seen the movie, so I'm basing this strictly on this clip)😬
PS. Joseph Bailey41, is the game designed so we have to use YouTube links, or is there another way to do this?
🙂
Matthew Gomez2 said:She’s basically just a female version of me—which, let's be honest, is a rare find, maybe even one of a kind.
Matthew Gomez2 said:Hello everyone. Lately, I’ve been distilling my various life phases into one singular direction, and I wanted to put it out there to get some perspective from those who might know better. 😉
I’ve walked away from college entirely.
I’ve deleted all my social media accounts for good.
I’ve cut ties with about 99% of people, leaving just my girlfriend and my parents.
I’ve bought over a hundred books on psychology and philosophy with the intention of deepening my self-understanding—fields I’ve always had an affinity for.
I’ve dedicated myself to daily reflection, thinking through how to decouple myself from the machine as much as possible.
I’ve embraced minimalism (getting rid of about 80% of my wardrobe, sticking to a specific diet, and refusing to spend money unless it's absolutely necessary).
I’ve started learning the ropes of investing and building passive income streams that could eventually overtake my primary income once I leave my current job.
The plan is to move out to the countryside with my girlfriend and live a quiet life, far removed from the noise of shallow people and the frantic pace of modern life.
I’ve replaced all my bad habits with ones that actually hold value.
Am I being realistic here, or have I completely sabotaged my future? Does this kind of mindset actually lead anywhere?
To be fair, if someone else had made these moves overnight, it would have been catastrophic. But I didn't just snap; I spent a long time sharpening my blade before I finally cut everything loose. Because of that, none of this feels overwhelming. In fact, after a long period of sleepwalking, indulgence,
and believing in fairy tales, I feel incredibly awake and driven.
A little story to wrap this up:
There was a man living in a coastal town who would spend his mornings fishing and selling his catch, his afternoons working on personal projects, and his evenings sitting by the beach with his wife and kids, drinking wine and playing the guitar.
One day, an American businessman arrived. He noticed the fisherman and approached him, asking if he could offer some advice.
The man agreed, and the American said, "I can help you significantly increase your sales. You could buy more boats and gear, hire a few employees, eventually move to a major city to start a firm, and ultimately end up in New York City running several global companies."
The man simply asked, "And how long would that take?"
"Well, maybe twenty or twenty-five years," the businessman replied.
The man asked, "And then what?"
The businessman answered, "Then you'll be able to fish in the mornings, work on yourself in the afternoons, and spend your evenings by the beach with your family, drinking wine and playing the guitar."
That resonates deeply with me. I’ve taken it to heart. What is the point of grinding every single day for someone else just to satisfy the emotional whims of others, or to remain enslaved to our own habits and useless clutter?
Establishing a meaningful existence is actually quite simple; it just requires the discipline to understand what a human being is truly meant for.
Why wait to actually live your life when you already know what you want and realize most of what the world chases isn't even real?
Thanks for reading. I'm open to any thoughts—whether it's practical advice on setting up a life in rural America or suggestions on what kind of work I should pursue.
I hope no one finds this topic out of place here, but to me, this is fundamentally about spirituality, self-discovery, and shattering the illusions of what we think is real versus what is just a fantasy of the mind.😵
Kyle Nelson2 said:So you're calling a 30-year-old woman nothing more than a pair of panties?
bluemason3 said:Holdmybeer
☕ 🤣
If I didn't dodge every single insinuation, I'd be doing a complete 180. 😬
darksurfer4 said:If you were actually halfway intelligent—which, let’s face it, you clearly aren't—you wouldn't be asking how to get smarter; you'd be asking how to successfully dumb yourself down. America is basically a playground for the simple-minded, so you really ought to just lean into it and adapt... though I suppose I'm caught in my own little paradox there; I just called you stupid, yet here I am suggesting that one should strive for stupidity. Can someone with an actual functioning brain explain my little logical loop to me?...
Matthew Gomez2 said:A few times in my life, I’ve crossed paths with people who possess this staggering level of intellect—individuals so intellectually formidable that they don't even need to say a word to command the room.
Some of them are still in my orbit, while others passed through just to remind me of exactly what I needed to hear at that specific moment in time.
I’m curious, how do you all go about sharpening your own intellect?
There is something deeply fascinating to me about encountering someone who truly knows their subject matter—and I don't mean trivial, everyday small talk. I mean deep dives into the cosmos, the mechanics of consciousness, the subconscious, and those heavy, existential topics you simply can't bring up with just anyone. I find myself craving more connections with open-minded people who can see the bigger picture, those who have built their own internal frameworks for understanding reality; they might be a bit dogmatic at times, which some might call a flaw, but I’ve always seen it as a strength.
I get such a sense of fulfillment when I’m listening to or engaging with people online who discuss these profound subjects that we rarely touch upon. We all eventually have to construct our own theories and definitions regarding the unknown, but the key is to keep refining them—to ensure we don't become stagnant or mistake our current perceptions for our absolute identity, because we are certainly much more than just what we currently think we are.
In the title, I brought up spiral dynamics, as I honestly believe that framework offers the best description of intellectual evolution. We all start at zero and climb upward; everyone exists at a specific stage, and I suspect those people I mentioned earlier are operating at an enviable level—perhaps you reading this are, or perhaps it's me. The real work lies in recognizing where you currently stand and acknowledging all the different phases you've navigated to get here.
So, in short, are you actively working on cultivating a stronger intellect? Do you notice specific milestones where you feel you've leveled up, and do you pay close attention to that progression?
Brian Young76 said:In many ways, I suppose this is fundamentally the same dilemma one faces when asking why we don't simply end our lives to reunite with God, assuming one truly believes in His existence. Well, if it were really that simple, it would certainly be an easy fix, but I fear it isn't quite that straightforward. It assumes that every single one of us is a completely isolated, independent entity whose thoughts and actions have no impact on anyone else, which I think is fundamentally mistaken.
Personally, I tend to believe that we can only achieve a total union with God once we all become one—and by "all," I’m referring to the entire conscious universe, encompassing hundreds of billions of galaxies and trillions of stars, not just the human race. And, I'm afraid, that might still be a little ways off. 😁
Paul Rogers94 said:Everything I’m trying to say—no matter how I frame it—boils down to one single point: you can't actually realize anything through mere washing... nothing. A direct look into the true nature of reality... It clarifies everything—yet that "everything" can't be captured by language, which is really just an instrument of reason. Everyone has to find their own way through it... and honestly, that’s where the real value lies.
There is no process for gaining direct insight into the true nature of reality—none. There is no way. "Ways" are merely functions of the mind, and if you think you’ve actually found one, then it’s inherently flawed... Direct insight isn't some prize waiting for you at the end of a spiritual marathon.
What you're looking for simply isn't there—because that thing isn't an object that can actually be known...
That’s the thing—it uncovers everything about an object, yet remains fundamentally unknowable...
That is the subject of all subjects...
That is the core of everything—and everything is that...
That’s just the reality of existence—because everything that actually exists is defined by THAT...
That is the ULTIMATE REALITY.
YOU ARE IT.
From the Gospel according to Paul Rogers94...
You can't truly grasp what you are—you can only perceive what you aren't... because you are the one who knows, the pure essence of knowledge itself.
Brian Young76 said:I would truly love that! 😉 😁
Yes, atheists—and specifically PhD psychologists at a prestigious American university, no less. They poured about seven years of their lives into transcribing this book, and it seems pretty clear that neither money nor fame was their primary motivation (which stands in such stark contrast to so many others who have written books about ACIM just to profit from it)... so, if that was the case, what could their actual goal have been? To my mind, the only logical conclusion might be that they genuinely believed the one dictating the text to them was Jesus.
But then again... how can one even begin to determine if Jesus is indeed the author (or the dictator? 😁)? By what standard did anyone decide that the angel Gabriel dictated the Quran?
I suppose if you declare right away that you don't believe in Jesus' resurrection or his transformation into Christ, and you don't believe that Christ appeared to Paul, then we've reached a bit of a dead end—because you wouldn't believe in the possibility of him dictating ACIM either. But what if someone accepts those first points? What criteria would they then use to establish the latter part of the equation???
For instance, I have personally begun (once again) reading the Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, the teachings of the Dalai Lama, Ramakrishna, the Catechism, and the Nag Hammadi writings... and I've even been looking into quantum physics and the natural sciences in general. I am simply trying to find some sort of intuitive answer.
As of right now, I'm still feeling quite uncertain, but I certainly can't dismiss the possibility entirely...
hiddenpuma75 said:9. Just to give you a little perspective on how much we actually know—and yes, I'm including both hiddenpuma75 and Beljki here
😁
10. Let's take a single term: "person."
11. Most of you reading this probably feel pretty confident that you know exactly what that word means.
You think it's as straightforward as knowing what a cow is, or what a Republican or a Pentagon official like Seroš or Bezbožinović represents.
12. But over the course of about 30 pages (roughly 130 to 160), B. Roberts explains just how murky this concept really is.
13. The first "minor" issue is that the word "person" doesn't even exist in the Bible.😲
14. The second issue? Neither Beljki, nor hiddenpuma75, nor any of us truly grasp the distinction between a "person" and an "individual." According to B. Roberts, the difference is as vast as night and day. They are two entirely different realities.😲🤔
15. You likely don't even realize why the Greeks rejected the concept of the "persona."
16. To put it simply, a person isn't quite what a human being is, nor is it what our Lord God is.🤔
17. So, within those 30 pages, we get this massive, multi-dimensional analysis spanning philosophy, psychology, theology, and mysticism regarding the term "person."
18. The whole concept of the "person" is essentially a Christian innovation.
19. Honestly, I don't know any more about this than you do, my dear friends reading this.
20. I suspect that to truly digest those 30 pages on the nature of a person, you'd need to study it like a grueling university final. Those pages are absolutely packed with erudition, weaving together various disciplines and the insights of scholars throughout history.
21. But I am certain of one thing.
Compared to the sheer depth, intellectual weight, quality, and unmistakable essence found in the life and writings of Bernadette Roberts, our forum posts—mine, yours, and even Beljki's—feel a bit like mere straw.🙏
ironrider11 said:If you look at growth in stages—whether it's steady or just hit-or-miss—you’re basically stuck in this loop of chasing thrills or just letting opportunities slip by. Eventually, after you realize how much you're losing, you end up settling for a life defined by apathy. It becomes a way to let go of everything you worked so hard to build up. Staying positive about life is easy, even when things suck. Being positive about death? Maybe not so much. But if you can stay positive, anything is possible...
briskbison47 said:Everyone’s got their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I can't stand all that toxic positivity, "manifesting" nonsense, or those "just embrace yourself" vibes. My philosophy is simpler: pick your battles. Focus on overcoming your own flaws. You have to put up a fight; you don't necessarily have to win every single round, but the act of fighting is what actually matters—it's how you improve. It's just like hitting the gym or doing manual labor. It’s grueling, and most of the time you're just sweating through the grind without seeing any actual progress, until someone finally points out that you actually look and feel phenomenal.