Yeah, rustydrifter10, I’ve definitely changed a lot over these last two years. You can go ahead and lift the ban right now—no need to wait another couple of months. Honestly, I've really missed this place and hanging out with everyone here...
I actually requested a two-year ban myself. I’m pretty sure that time has already lapsed, so I'm asking if you could please lift the ban on my account.
Here we go again—yet another piece of spiritual nonsense that has absolutely zero basis in science. It’s all coming from this Hindu yoga craze, specifically this concept called brahmacharya. Honestly, I’ve personally suffered some serious mental trauma because I was foolish enough to buy into this crap blindly. The whole premise is that by retaining semen (the longer, the better), you somehow unlock supernatural powers, a photographic memory, a massive boost in IQ, superhuman focus, a genius-level intellect, and total success in every single area of life. These Hindu yogis actually take it a step further, claiming that without practicing brahmacharya, you can't make any meaningful spiritual progress at all. In the States, this dangerous ideology is pushed by people like Vlado Poznovija (Swami Brahmajnananda), and it was also championed by the late Swami Šivananda from Rishikesh. Probably a lot of others too...
Zachary Cox69 said:But why can't you be spiritual while also dealing with life's practical issues? To you, spirituality seems like a way to run away from reality. I know people who have lived relatively easy lives and stayed faithful, and others who were hit with massive hardships that drove them straight toward God. Some believers were thrown into concentration camps and came out atheists—thinking that if God truly existed, He never would have allowed such horrors. On the flip side, some non-believers went through those same camps and emerged with a profound, unshakable faith. So, maybe don't be so quick to judge.
My bad, I was in a pretty rough headspace when I originally posted that (I'd stepped off my psychiatric meds, and now I'm back on them). You've got a point here; sometimes spirituality can actually help someone excel in their everyday life. Think about it—so many elite athletes practice Buddhist meditation or yoga, and you see countless football players praying or making the sign of the cross right before taking a penalty kick...
Spirituality can be a dangerous trap if you’re just using it as an escape hatch from real-world problems instead of actually dealing with them head-on using practical methods. It gets even sketchier when someone starts using it as an excuse to isolate themselves from everyone else. At that point, you aren't finding peace—you're just digging a deeper hole for yourself.
I'm 37 and living in Miami. Looking to connect with someone else from the Miami area who shares my interest in Eastern spirituality. Ideally looking for someone around 40 years old max 🍿
So, I’ve officially made the jump from Buddhism over to Christianity. Because of that, I’m looking to connect with some fellow Christians who actually walk the walk—I don't really care about the specific denomination, whether you're Catholic, Protestant, or anything else, as long as your faith is a real part of your life. I’d love to meet people living in the Miami area or somewhere nearby, ideally under the age of 40. I’m a 36-year-old guy. Since my schedule is pretty packed with work and other stuff, I’m only looking to chat online through the summer, but if God wills it, maybe we can actually hang out in person once fall rolls around.
Joseph Bailey41 said:IMHO, he probably just realized that talking to you isn't productive, or rather, that the conversation isn't doing you any favors. Your "insult" was pretty much playground level; a person doesn't need to be some enlightened guru to just laugh it off internally and politely end a conversation that's going nowhere. So, try not to take it personally—this guy doesn't have the bandwidth to deal with basic manners, nor is he professionally trained to coach someone through emotional immaturity. It would probably be a good move on your part to respect his time and do exactly what he asked: delete his address.
Look, I don't act like that anymore. That was three or four years ago, and my attempts to reach back out after the fallout happened during that period. Since I didn't get a response, I wiped him from my contact list and moved on. He gave me some decent advice back then, sure, but I've found all of that and so much more just by studying spiritual texts on my own. Honestly, I don't need gurus anymore. Books can't get angry or offended, and they couldn't care less about whether I'm being emotionally mature or acting like a kid. Gurus—whether they're the real deal or just fakes in this internet age—aren't necessary when there's so much literature out there on every subject that you can just download for free and learn everything you need to know...
goldeneagle2, I honestly don't know. I just sat here trying to piece all the details together in my head, and this is how it went down... Your insults didn't even phase me at the time. So, I reached out and apologized, basically telling him I was really sorry if I had offended him (assuming I actually did). Then, the next day, I get a message from him. Among other things, he tells me he doesn't hold a grudge, that there's no need to apologize, and that while I'm acting childish, he understands it's just part of my personality. After that, he let me know he wouldn't have the time to reply to my emails anymore because his schedule is getting tighter—apparently, he's swamped helping his students with their spiritual practices and focusing on his own self-improvement (since he hasn't quite reached total enlightenment yet). To wrap it all up, he told me to go ahead and delete his email address from my contacts and wished me luck in life. I waited a bit and tried reaching out three different times, but I haven't heard a peep. Now, you tell me: was he actually offended or not? Because if he wasn't, it feels pretty weird to me that he decided to cut ties right after those insults...🤔
Sorry I’m just now getting back to you, I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately. I ended up going off on him pretty hard, making some really nasty comments about his skin tone and how his voice sounds like some little kid...🕺
I’ve always had a lot of respect for Dr. Vlado Poznovija (Swami Brahmajnanananda). A few years back, he actually took the time to sit down and answer a massive list of questions I had via email—really thorough, thoughtful stuff. But then, because I’m an idiot, I went and insulted him just for the hell of it. Nobody likes being treated that way, and they certainly won't tolerate it. Naturally, we haven't spoken since...
F21 here—honestly, this whole thing feels like a total psychotic break. 😵 I’m looking to connect with someone from Miami for some casual hanging out. 🍿
35-year-old guy from Miami - living with a diagnosis, looking for a girl from Miami also living with a diagnosis, just for friendship😁
I just need someone... a real person to actually talk to Someone who might actually care enough to love Could it be you? Could it be you? 🕺
Things get heavy sometimes, and I start to spiral into a panic It’s never enough, it’s just becoming a cycle And, kid, you're struggling Honey, this is it 🙂
I'm feeling pretty low lately. Looking to connect with someone from San Diego for some real-life hanging out. Ideally, I'd prefer someone at least 25 years old.