Based on my own experience, I’d warmly suggest that if you're using weed, you should consider quitting and finding a different outlet—maybe a hobby or even a job, even if it's just volunteering. Honestly, volunteering can be incredibly fulfilling 🙂.
As for those intrusive thoughts—well, they're tricky. On one hand, they feel intense, but on the other, they're actually quite straightforward to manage. The best approach is really just to not give them any weight. When they pop up, try to view them as something perfectly normal; plenty of people deal with similar thoughts and still go on to live totally standard lives. So, it would be great if you could find a way to simply brush them off. If you can manage that, even just occasionally, they’ll eventually start to fade away. (Though, I have to admit, the weed use definitely makes things more complicated.)
Everyone experiences unwanted thoughts and feelings at some point—even if they aren't aware of it—especially those rooted in fear. I don't mean physical fear, which is that useful instinct that keeps us safe in a life-threatening moment, but rather that pervasive psychological anxiety that tends to hold us all back and limit our potential.
It might be better to post this question in the spirituality section (or just ask a moderator to move it). I know my way around Esoteric studies, but I’ve honestly never heard of "exoterica" before. Do a little Google search—I can see there's some stuff about it online...
Generally speaking... I find myself questioning why I ever chose one path over another—mostly because our accumulated experience, genetic makeup, and those random circumstances we can't control (essentially dictated by "everyone else's freedom") play such huge roles. It feels like true experience only stems from free will, since we use those experiences to build our identities over time... but if you trace everything back, you eventually hit that very first decision made before any experience existed, leaving nothing but genetics and circumstance to drive the choice.
The answer lies in how you operate—how you make decisions and how you actually live. If you’re living like an automaton, just a mechanism reacting unconsciously, then every single choice you make is going to be strictly conditioned by what you've learned and what's happened to you in the past. However, if you occasionally step into a sort of—let's call it a—void with your mind, creating a momentary pause in that automatic behavior, you might find yourself making decisions from within that void. And since that space is infinite, it isn't bound by conditioning. While this analogy might be a bit of a stretch, I believe it hits close enough to the mark.
Can someone please talk sense into me and explain MY role in all of this? Because looking at the variables of heredity, experience, and circumstance, it seems my role doesn't even exist.
Similarly, it could be that as long as your "role" exists, it remains entirely conditioned by those factors—meaning, in a sense, it doesn't truly exist. But those are extremes. Using terms like "mine" or "yours" implies a separation, and that void I mentioned—if it is indeed infinite—cannot be subject to separation.
Generally speaking, if we don't understand the consequences beforehand, we learn them the hard way.
Regarding my previous point—I think I misspoke a bit in my last post. While we certainly have the liberty to act however we choose, we don't have the freedom to escape the repercussions of those actions.
Kenneth Hayes10 said:So where does that freedom actually show up? I only asked "who am I" in my first post... just to make it easier to tackle the question of what kind of freedom I'm actually dealing with.
The way I see it—our freedom lies in the ability to choose our actions, even if we can't escape the consequences that follow them. In that sense, it’s inherently limited.
Perhaps it would be more productive to focus on how to prevent an unpleasant incident from actually being unpleasant—to stop it from triggering such a reaction. The goal should be to accept or, say, integrate the moment as soon as it happens.
I can't think of a universal formula for what I'm describing. However, for any such method to work effectively, I suspect one would need to practice some form of meditation.
It strikes me that this is tied to mindfulness—specifically, the ability to direct one's own attention and maintain emotional control. For instance, when a minor annoyance gets under your skin, that little thing is merely a trigger; the actual irritation is happening within you. That irritation is a process fueled by where you choose to point your focus (dwelling on the nuisance, ruminating on how annoying it is, or thinking about how silly it was for it to happen in the first place). If you simply stop feeding it with your attention, it will inevitably disintegrate—it just dies out. One might call this "acceptance."
The catch, though, is that our emotional bodies tend to react instinctively, and we often lack control over them due to a lack of focus. This is exactly why practice is necessary, and meditation seems to be the key tool for all of this.
Now, if we were discussing extreme events—major stressors or traumas—then there are certainly many psychological techniques available. But, as I understand it, that isn't really the subject here. In the future, once the existence of the soul becomes an accepted fact, I believe traumatic events—such as an assault, for example—will be overcome by the realization that the event didn't actually happen *to you*. After all, a person is neither their physical body, nor their feelings, nor their thoughts. In theory, even if someone experiences such intense stress, if they follow this path and refuse to give any mental energy to the traumatic event afterward, no lasting trauma will remain.
nikol said:Taylor Campbell4, didn't you just mention how great people can rely on intuition to grasp things? Now you're coming after B. Bird for doing the exact same thing. If she's working with intuitive knowledge while you're stuck on being rational, then we all know who's actually ahead here. 😉
Intuition isn't just a feeling—it isn't an emotion.(!) I was referring to glamour—which is really just an illusion on an astral level—that tricks us into thinking we're always right. That’s an illusion, not intuition, and it's incredibly obvious with Bluebird. She makes claims without providing any actual evidence regarding topics she clearly knows nothing about (leading to blatant falsehoods), and she does it using a pretty unbearable tone. Then, when someone points that out, instead of offering a counterargument, she just contradicts herself and labels the other person as "angry." 🙂
I'm not attacking her personally; I'm simply stating that it's poor practice to 1) write about subjects you have zero expertise in—much like 2) present baseless assertions as absolute truths and then get defensive when they're challenged.
In my view, a real discussion involves sharing opinions, listening to one another, explaining the reasoning behind those views, and asking questions if something is unclear. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case here due to the reasons I mentioned above. 😉
So, let me reiterate this once more—it might have been missed the first time around:
In short, I suspect "Thomas Aquinas" from your signature likely said—or at least thought—that it’s just plain reckless to make claims about something you don't actually understand.
Brenda Cook4 said:Taylor Campbell4... it’s always been a struggle to talk to people whose minds are clouded by religious fervor or any kind of obsession... ..... and that signature of yours—you clearly seem to be interpreting it through a different lens. ....my own philosophy is secular humanism.... and contemplation isn't just religious melodrama... ....you really need to dial back the intensity and the overthinking...
Do you perhaps lack actual arguments for these claims, or are you just basing everything on your personal "feelings" as usual?
I haven't exactly seen a conversation here—it feels more like you're just delivering a monologue. 😉 You keep talking about things you clearly don't understand—not even the basics—and you just state them as if they were gospel (of course, you have a very strong feeling that they are true), without providing a single shred of evidence to support them.
So tell me, is this supposed to be easy? Is it even possible to have a dialogue this way?
a contemplation isn't religious melodrama... ....you really need to dial back the intensity and the overthinking...
What I meant was—and it's pretty obvious from your post—that you haven't actually done much contemplating (to truly contemplate something, one should probably know a few facts about the subject first), let alone express it with any sense of grace.
And another thing—since I have to spell it out—you ask who needs teachers, yet your own signature includes a quote from a teacher, and if I'm not mistaken, from the same hierarchy of the master that I am discussing.
What is taken in by contemplation must be given out in love. Meister Eckhart
In short—I suspect that the "Meister Eckhart" in your signature likely voiced, or at least considered, the idea that it’s incredibly reckless—well, if I recall correctly, folks down in Georgia might just call it being plain foolish 🙂—to make claims about things you don't actually understand.
blue bird said:But that's exactly what I was asking! Prophets, messiahs, guardians, guides, gurus... Who actually needs them? Must we always bow down to someone? Can't people just think for themselves? Where does this whole father-guardian-direction-giver complex come from? People are born children and then they grow up....
Why do you assume anyone in my story needs to be worshiped?? It’s pretty obvious you’re talking about something you don't really grasp, which honestly feels a bit shallow and immature—call it whatever you want.
Furthermore, with your signature, you're essentially contradicting yourself in at least two different ways.
Guides and gurus—teachers, I suppose—are necessary for humanity. Maybe for the millions who call upon them. Perhaps for mankind as a whole, which, if you haven't noticed (take a look around, watch the news, travel the world a bit), is in a catastrophic state regarding poverty, wars, the environment, and so on. Humanity could easily spiral into total self-destruction. So, who do these figures serve? You might think we don't even need the next Shakespeare, Plato, or whoever; they were all teachers too, whether people bowed to them or not. Without great figures, we would simply drown in mediocrity and live in total blindness.
Teachers and guides are essential because human progress would be incredibly slow without them. Many find it hard to accept—due to their own ego or wounded pride (let's call it immaturity)—that we have evolved through history at different speeds, meaning we are all at different stages of development. These teachers exist at a very high stage of evolution; they've navigated everything we are currently facing, they know all the traps and dead ends, and they can lead us out. They pass on their knowledge and remain available to advise on solving global issues (which are critical and far too many, causing immense suffering for so many). Basically, I'm saying this is just the natural order of things. Everything flows, including knowledge. The Earth receives its energy from the Sun.
Where does this whole father-guardian-direction-giver complex come from?
I have no idea; it's just part of human nature. We don't know how to cooperate; we only know how to take orders or give them. Cooperation isn't our forte. I don't feel this complex is particularly strong in me, but you seem so fixated on it that you probably have some issues with that dynamic, or perhaps its exact opposite. To reiterate, your interpretation of this entire situation—this idea of "worshiping"—has nothing to do with the actual story. It has absolutely nothing to do with the story of Maia.
People are born children and then they grow up....
Exactly. And by most accounts, goodness, humanity hasn't grown up yet. If you truly believe we are fully matured, I have to tell you, with all due respect, that you are completely disconnected from reality. In other words, you're living in a deep delusion. Because mature individuals—or a mature group, to put it that way—simply wouldn't behave the way humanity is behaving today. I feel a bit foolish having to explain this to anyone.
When it comes to the difference between a child and an adult—well, just because someone has reached adulthood isn't some kind of guarantee they won't act like a complete idiot 🙂. But honestly, that’s beside the point; your comparison doesn't really hold water, since you can't exactly equate physical aging and bodily growth with the actual development of one's consciousness.
Since I'll have some free time, I thought I'd share a few English passages regarding that specific mantra—the Declaration of Independence—since it ties directly into this discussion.
The Lord's Prayer Enlightenment. I am the father and mother of the universe. Everything came from me. All roads lead to Rome. Mind, spirit and body are my temples, For Self-actualization My supreme Being and Becoming. — Maitreya The Declaration of Independence is really an Affirmation with an invocative effect, and will be a powerful tool in the recognition by Americans that man and God are One, that there is no separation. By affirming that I am the Creator of the Universe I can come into consciousness (eventually) that I am God, the true reality. An associate of Maitreya explained that: “This prayer can lead people to experience that Self within who is detached from mind, spirit and body.”
Q. In terms of dispelling glamour and illusion, would it be helpful to say Daily Devotionals in our daily personal meditation? If so, how does it help illuminate the mind? And would it help to visualize sweeping out the cobwebs of the mind? (USA) A. The Bible is given to give us a sense of our reality, where we are in the scheme of things, to instill in our minds the idea of our essential divinity. If you truly have a sense of your divinity, then you do not have the glamours. It would certainly help to free the mind from these glamours. But you have to do it. You have to hold on to the response to it, what awakens in you when you say it. When you say it, it awakens a certain feeling in you. If you can hold on to that feeling for as long in the day as you can, and say it again and hold on to it, and use it in that way, it will most certainly dispel illusion in your mind. But if you just say it mechanically, I do not think you can expect much.
I've bolded a few sections—specifically the ones that hit home regarding this topic.
The Gospel: Maitreya has given to the world the Declaration of Independence. If repeated daily, the prayer will gradually confer an awareness of the Self. That awareness eventually develops into Self-actualization, which is perfection. The prayer is very simple. ... ... Say the prayer with focused attention as many times per day as you wish. Gradually you will become aware of yourself in a different way. You will begin to be more detached. You will begin to see that you are not the body, the emotions, or the mind. You are not this memory which relates you as a person to your job and your family. You will undergo Self-discovery. In addition to the prayer, Maitreya has said there are three things one can practise: honesty of mind, sincerity of spirit, and detachment. He calls these three practices the simplest way to obtain Mindfulness. Most people think one thing, say something else, and do something else again. There is no A direct line from their thoughts—it’s almost like a straight shot to the soul. They are truly responsible for their own actions.It all just ends in total chaos and self-destruction. It’s a mess. A new light is breaking through—it feels like we're finally stepping into a much brighter era. 303 True integrity isn't just about being truthful when you speak—it’s about having genuine honesty of mind. If you aren't honest with yourself internally, your words will eventually lose their way. True peace and happiness aren't just random strokes of luck—they come from living with integrity and taking honest action. This sense of harmony—it's truly something special. True sincerity of spirit—it’s a rare thing these days, isn't it? I've always felt that being genuine requires a certain level of courage, much like the quiet resolve one finds when practicing Daily Devotionals. means It isn't about mimicking someone else—it just isn't. It’s a subtle distinction—acting out a part versus simply being someone you aren't. I've always felt that true authenticity isn't about performing; it's about moving through the world without the exhausting effort of maintaining a facade. True sincerity isn't about putting on someone else's "costume"—it's about being who you actually are. It isn’t about mimicking your favorite movie icon or some pop superstar—it’s just about existing. I’m just here to help you craft something meaningful—always aiming for that perfect balance between being helpful and staying true to your unique voice. If you happen to be an artist, a musician, a writer, or even a poet—well, the most important thing is... It’s a profound thought—that the most interesting version of yourself is simply being who you actually are, rather than some imitation of someone else. Imitation in art and music is often viewed with disdain—it's seen as unoriginal or even lazy. But imitation in other fields? That’s where things get interesting. Life isn't necessarily viewed with disdain—it’s just often overlooked—yet it remains just as vital. Whether it’s through art, music, or literature—it's all just different ways we express being alive. This is truly invaluable—something deeply personal, and it absolutely has to be. Be true to yourself—it’s the only way to live. Every individual possesses their own distinct essence, and there's no point in trying to be anyone else. Letting that unique spark shine through—it doesn't necessarily mean you have to force it. To act in total opposition to conventional wisdom—it’s a bold way to live, isn't it? I agree—but that requires the courage to actually be yourself. When you encounter Maitreya, expect Him to speak with absolute directness. From His heart directly to yours—your center will begin to resonate. It’s all about how you respond to His word. When you finally listen, everything feels incredibly pure—it’s almost overwhelming. Spot on—it’s absolutely the truth. You won't have any trouble at all with it. I find myself simply accepting His word—it’s the only way to let it truly sink in and reach the very core of who I am. It's all about the path toward Self-actualization. That’s exactly why we expect things to shift once He finally speaks. It won't be long now—before the whole world finally sees it coming. The Declaration of Independence occurs. The third step involves practicing detachment—essentially learning not to identify yourself as... Whether we're talking about the physical body, the emotional body, or the various mental constructs we build—it all ties back to the same core truth. It’s quite a journey, isn't it? The mind—that elusive mental landscape—is a fickle thing. You might hold a conviction as absolute as truth today, only to find it completely transformed ten years down the line. It’s a bit of a paradox—you hold one conviction today, only to find yourself believing something entirely different tomorrow. Consistency seems to be a rare commodity in this life. Mindfulness—it’s truly the foundation of everything we do. What most people mistake for their own mind is nothing more than a collection of memories—just echoes of what has already passed. Yesterday was filled with all sorts of experiences—some good, some not—but at the end of the day, this moment is truly the only one that matters. The present moment is all there truly is. You’re existing right here, right now, in this exact instant. A new light is emerging. 304 Time—that’s the only thing that’s actually real. Everything else? It's just memory. It all comes down to that innate capacity to connect—to actually communicate and put in the work on the... I’m trying to wrap my head around how the physical plane actually functions—in a way that truly clicks. If you're on the same page, let me know. For instance, you might arrange to meet someone at 8:00 PM and catch the Amtrak to Chicago. DC is finally ready—they’ll be standing on the right stage when the moment arrives. It's our time now. It’s essentially just a matter of convenience—at least, if you look at things through the lens the Masters provide regarding the past. The present and the future—they aren't separate stages—they’re actually unfolding all at once, right this second. Let's be clear: what we commonly refer to as our memory isn't the true Self—and it certainly can't be the core of who we are. Self-actualization. Self-actualization—it’s the ultimate goal, isn't it? It’s actually something else entirely—a matter of realizing that the Self is... well, it's an experience in itself. I’ve been thinking about immortality lately—it’s a heavy concept, isn't it? It makes you wonder what truly lasts when everything else fades away. A spiritual Being—it essentially reflects itself through the lens of a human soul, which then goes on to... At this stage, it manifests as the human personality.The path toward enlightenment—it’s a journey one takes through constant mindfulness and quiet reflection. Evolution is essentially the process of reuniting one's personality with the soul—it’s a journey toward true Self-actualization. It’s all about that intersection where your soul and personality meet the spark of the Divine—that core essence we call the Divine Self. The more you learn to let go, the less any of this can actually touch you. Maitreya says: “When you finally achieve true detachment—that sweet spot where nothing can shake you—everything just falls into place. It’s possible. If you're still clinging to attachments, you won't be able to truly experience Me. You simply can't—it's just impossible. That simply can't be right—because wherever you choose to distance yourself, I'm right there beside you. I’m not quite sure what you mean by that—it feels a bit unfinished. These three—honesty of mind, sincerity of spirit, and... well, let's just say integrity—really are the pillars of a life well-lived. Detachment—if you actually commit to it with some consistency—combined with... The Bible can lead a person to Enlightenment quite rapidly. Achieving Self-actualization allows for a profound shift—it’s about understanding and experiencing who you truly are in a completely different light. A newfound sense of liberty, spontaneity, and directness—alongside a growing sense of absence. A sense of dread and ongoing friction will slowly begin to surface. The upcoming shifts in our politics and economy—it’s going to be quite a transformation. Triggered by the presence of Maitreya and the Masters, this process will unfold... We need to break free from those ancient, suffocating limitations—those old-school hang-ups that hold us back—and finally embrace true potential. it will catalyze a massive leap toward enlightenment. A sense of purpose and clarity will sweep away today's chaos, uncertainty, and dread. By embracing a bold, fearless curiosity about our internal landscapes and the world around us, we can move past this era of bitterness—paving the way for the evolutionary shift I’ve THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA 305 aimed to outline: the rise of a superior society and a truly evolved human race.
From Benjamin Cream's book The Great Approach and the magazine Share International
The Word said:A human being is a three-dimensional entity, much like God, composed of spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is our inner essence—which, unfortunately for most people, remains tethered to that old, fallen nature from Adam. The soul is built from our will, our intellect, and our emotions. The body is simply the house we inhabit until our time comes.
Well, if you ask me, this feels like the byproduct of misinterpreting original scriptures or church dogmas. I think there’s a kernel of truth in there, but it isn't quite hitting the mark.
Here is a mantra—or perhaps a prayer—that a person can use to deepen, or even first attain, an understanding of who they truly are and what they are made of. It's about gaining direct insight—something far beyond mere intellectualizing.
I am the Creator of the universe. I am the Father and Mother of all existence. Everything originated from Me. Everything shall return to Me. Mind, spirit, and body are My temples wherein the Self may manifest My ultimate Being and Becoming.
I'm not entirely certain if my translation is perfect—especially that last line—but I believe it works well enough as it stands. You have to recite it with intention and true understanding. Actually, it might be more effective to meditate on it silently rather than speaking it aloud. However, don't just let the thoughts drift mechanically; you have to engage with them through conscious will.
So, we are looking at the mind, spirit, and body acting as temples for the Self. These are our thoughts, our feelings, and our physical vessel. This "Self" (or the ego, or the higher "I") is, in my view, most likely the soul, which reflects itself and expresses itself through these three layers.
It's a bit different from what "The Word" stated, which—to be honest—doesn't seem to follow much logic to me.
I'll include the English version just in case someone with a better grasp of the language wants to refine it, along with some context to help clarify the concepts. Speaking from my own experience, this technique is incredibly powerful. While reciting this mantra, you can undergo profound realizations regarding your true nature—but you have to be consistent and practice it (or think it) every single day to see that gradual awakening. If you pair this with practicing detachment, emotional honesty, and mental integrity, this mantra is, in my opinion, the best method for self-actualization.
Countless great artists and philosophers—think Shakespeare or Plato—have explored the essence of what it means to be human. They all approached the subject through their own unique lenses, yet they managed to convey truths that remain remarkably clear if you approach them with a bit of intuition. (If you try to take things purely literally, without any intuitive grasp at all, then no, you'll miss the point entirely). I'm referring to those rare individuals who operated at an incredibly high level of consciousness; they possessed a profound insight that gave them true authority over their subject matter.
Esoteric teachings, on the other hand, tend to call things exactly what they are. If you take the time to study them, you'll notice how all these seemingly different perspectives actually align perfectly. (It makes sense, really—they are all describing the same fundamental reality, and they were written by highly evolved individuals who weren't clouded by illusions or delusions. They had that "clear sight," so to speak. When you have that kind of clarity, even if the vocabulary or style varies, the core message remains consistent. It’s much the same with the Bible, though perhaps not with all the various interpretations people layer onto it—often from those who didn't quite grasp "what the poets were actually trying to say.")
From my perspective, the term "spirit" in esoteric literature refers to a specific kind of life force—one that manifests through what we commonly call our emotions when discussing the human personality.
Master Therese’s teachings on self-realization essentially rest on three pillars: detachment, sincerity of spirit, and honesty of mind. For those interested in the art of self-realization, you can find more details in English at http://share-international.net/m.../art.htm
In this particular vocabulary, spirit is practically synonymous with emotion. It is said that our Self—whether you call it the Soul or the Ego—expresses itself through the mind, the spirit (emotions), and the body. These three serve as its temples, the vehicles through which it works toward perfection. This concept can be quite jarring because while people often claim the soul is perfect, it isn't—not yet. It is constrained by our physical bodies, which are clouded by illusions, glamour, and various veils, preventing a clear perception of the world. Thus, the soul refines itself through these three bodies. As we ascend in consciousness, these bodies become purer and more liberated from the illusions—often referred to as "glamour" or "blindness" on the astral level.
I realize this explanation might not be helpful to everyone; things are admittedly complicated. Most people have little to no connection to their soul, and almost none to the spark of God, making it difficult to even conceptualize these matters.
A human being is essentially an embodied soul, expressing itself on the physical plane through the individual's physical, emotional, and mental bodies.
The soul itself is a reflection of the divine spark, the monad, which is essentially one with God. I view it much like a hologram of the divine spark and God; it is called a spark, yet it contains the entirety of the flame.
It is interesting to note that in older literature—for instance, in the books by Alice Bailey, which were dictated by Master Djwhal Khul—the term "ego" is used to describe the soul. In Alice Bailey’s work, "ego" signifies the soul, the individual soul (which, if I recall correctly, is equivalent to the term "jiva" in Hindu literature), rather than the psychological "ego" used today to describe personality.
So, regarding the human condition: a person is a soul that, once embodied, expresses itself through the physical, emotional, and mental bodies, which together constitute the architecture of our personality.
Within esoteric literature—and likely in other texts as well, whether readers realize it or not—spirit can be identified with our emotions.
I am not sure if my explanation helps anyone—it certainly isn't crystal clear to me either—but I can distinguish between spirit and soul in both my thoughts and my lived experience.
If someone wants to gain more clarity, they might look into the books by Benjamin Crem; that is probably the simplest route. Alternatively, one could turn to Alice Bailey, though in my opinion, reading her requires a great deal of intuition, as the text can be difficult to grasp otherwise. They are written specifically to trigger intuitive understanding (often called "soul knowledge"), meaning intuition is required just to make sense of them. With Benjamin Crem’s books, he tells you exactly what is what, whether you understand it or not.
Honestly, my first instinct was to pick something, but upon further reflection, I’d rather choose nothing at all. It feels like an incredibly surreal question—purely hypothetical, really—as if anyone would ever actually face such a choice, let alone be forced into one by some dire threat like a gun to the head 🙂
That said, I can offer a general perspective. I certainly wouldn't opt for death; after all, who can truly predict that their life will be nothing but suffering, regardless of the circumstances? Being in a wheelchair, lacking limbs, having facial disfigurements—none of those things guarantee a miserable existence. In fact, I don't think the probability of a bad life is necessarily higher just because of physical limitations. Life, in its essence, involves some degree of struggle So, I think it would be foolish to choose death—not that I fear death itself, per se—I’m more concerned about the manner of passing, largely because of my belief in reincarnation
As for choosing to live with a disability? Well, I suppose I might consider that if I were facing a terminal illness—certainly over death, anyway. Or at least, I think I would have the strength to do so, though I can't say for sure. My philosophy has always been that every single life is worth living, including this one
Speaking of impossible situations, I remember being absolutely fascinated by a news story about a guy pinned by a rock in the mountains—it must have been two or three years ago. This hiker found himself trapped in a deep crevice where he was practically invisible, with his arm crushed and no way to free himself. And what did he do? He used a pocketknife to amputate his own arm just to reach help. There was even a photo in the paper of him smiling What can you even say about that?
Some people cry, others get angry—everyone reacts differently. Ultimately, it all comes down to emotional regulation, at least from my perspective. Since you mentioned that you tend to cry when someone "hurts you emotionally," we’re talking strictly about feelings here.
I haven't had the chance to read every single detail—shame on me—but I believe it's vital to try and identify exactly what you're feeling the moment the tears start. It might be tied to self-pity or something similar; usually, it’s a web of things—say, a sense of helplessness leading to self-pity, which then triggers the fear that sits at the core of it all.
It's really about that inability to manage emotions, whether they manifest as crying, anger, or something else entirely.
When I talk about control, I don't mean suppressing them, nor am I suggesting you just vent them out. (I think psychologists might call this "processing"—that's the term I'm aiming for.) I'm not sure how much this interferes with your daily life, but since you decided to start this thread, it probably does. You should probably work a little on that regulation. How? Well, I'm certainly no psychologist, and I don't know the exact clinical terminology, but I once heard from a colleague—he's in a completely different field, but he is a licensed therapist—about a specific psychological school of thought centered on emotional awareness. I've forgotten most of what he told me—it was some newer movement, I think—but the gist remains.
Regardless, I am fairly convinced the core principle is the same. A person needs to remain observant and notice when these intense emotions arise (the ones that trigger those various reactions). You have to catch them. Once you notice them, you've already created a distance; you aren't as fused with the emotion anymore. From there, you aim for indifference. Don't struggle against it, don't suppress it, and don't justify it. Try to shift the issue to a purely mental level. Once you reach a state of indifference toward the feeling (which requires you to first observe and become aware of it), an indifferent stance means you aren't feeding it attention. You aren't trying to crush it, excuse it, or keep it alive. The emotion simply fades away—you could say it starves to death because it lacks the "food" of your attention and energy. Give it a shot; you'll see it works, though it does take some practice. **
Various meditation techniques or similar practices can be quite helpful here.
Anyway, that was my layman's diagnosis and remedy. 🙂
**On the flip side, if you don't even notice the feeling (and you have to be fully conscious to catch it), you have zero control over it. In that case, the emotion carries you along or exerts a powerful influence over you. If you suppress it, the feeling only grows stronger. If you "justify" it—for example, if you get angry because your neighbors are being too loud, and you spend the whole time ruminating on how disrespectful, primitive, and inconsiderate they are for making such noise—you are simply feeding that anger with extra attention. The result is the same as before: the anger just keeps escalating. The only way out is to notice the anger and say to yourself, "Okay, I am feeling angry right now." By doing that, you've already achieved a certain distance. You become capable of looking at the cause of the anger rationally and either ignoring it or taking action regarding the actual problem—in this case, the noise—while giving the anger itself no attention. Eventually, it just dissipates.
When a person doesn't even perceive the emotion, they become one with it. That is a form of attachment, a lack of freedom. The emotion runs the show—whether it's anger, self-pity, or the conviction that you are absolutely right.
I had a good laugh at this—honestly, give people a break. Everyone should be free to think outside the box and share different perspectives without being harassed (provided, of course, those ideas aren't aimed at hurting others).
As for the "Idiots" themselves, I don't have much to say—I don't think the topic is brilliant, nor do I think it's foolish in its own right. Though, if I had to guess, it probably sits somewhere right in the middle.
It seems there’s been some discussion regarding spirituality versus organized religion. In my view, religions actually stem from spiritual teachings—not just rigid doctrines. (Though, as they say, eventually we end up asking ourselves, "what have we done to the song..."?) As for Grubish bringing up those amoral situations here in America—honestly, hasn't that been the case pretty much everywhere else in the world?
Those who possess a clear perspective and the ability to articulate it often argue that the entire world is facing a spiritual crisis—one where the focus has shifted entirely toward economics and politics.
I suppose I don't even need to elaborate on how this crisis manifests; one only needs to look around at the state of our global village.
Ultimately, everything hinges on what we desire, and subsequently, what we are willing to do to make those desires a reality. Or perhaps, let's call it an aspiration rather than a mere wish. What are we truly striving for? If we know, then let's go out and achieve those aspirations.