Furthermore, I did mention a book earlier, though I neglected to specify which exact title explores this concept of a "moral dilemma."
The thing is, I’m actually torn between two different books—both absolute gems, really—and my memory is failing me on which one specifically covers that point. Regardless, if you ever feel the urge to cultivate a deeper sense of ethics, you absolutely must pick them up.
Scott Peck: The Road Less Traveled—it's a total classic.
David Brooks: Road to Character—a more contemporary bestseller.
When we talk about building character, what we’re really talking about is nurturing that inner voice. If someone is chasing worldly success, they’re usually just following whatever loud, external impulse leads them toward those material goals.
I truly hope there are some folks here interested in diving into this conversation.
To me, it feels like when you choose the path you believe is morally right—or intuitive, or whatever term people prefer to use these days—you end up heading down a road that almost nobody else would ever consider. It makes you feel a bit like a madwoman, honestly, as if the whole world is going to point fingers at you. It’s a bit like Diogenes living in his barrel; just another eccentric who thinks he’s found wisdom while everyone else looks on in confusion. It reminds me of when he told the King to move out of his way because he was blocking the sunlight, completely dismissing any sort of material bribe or offer.
In all seriousness, someone acting with pure common sense wouldn't typically choose the very things that the majority rejects or deems unprofitable.
And since we’re living in such a modern age, that "crazy" label carries even more weight than it used to.
So, faced with that heavy stigma, you have to decide: do you ignore the pursuit of money? Do you wonder if you've lost your mind by waiting for some sort of "Law of Attraction" enlightenment that promises to deliver both integrity and a massive bank account simultaneously? It isn't an easy way to live.
But it doesn't stop there. Because once you actually possess a sense of ethics—which is evident if you're even wrestling with these dilemmas in the first place—you also start to fear giving in to the "logic of greed" or similar passions. You realize that chasing wealth can lead to a complete collapse of your character, potentially leaving you bankrupt or disgraced, and quite frankly, it's better to avoid that mess altogether. Yet, if you do stay the course, others will simply call you a fool.
It’s a complete, dizzying circle.
🤣Of course, life still happens, and you'll naturally find yourself swayed by the rhythm of the song playing in the background and such things.
Good luck to everyone, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Not at all. There isn't really a formula to follow here, because truth doesn't reside within the mind...
But then again, it isn't found in intuition either.
1) If you’ve ever brushed up against the Law of Attraction, you’ll know about the concept of "contrast."
Contrast is essentially that moment when life throws a curveball—something you absolutely didn't ask for—right as you're trekking toward what you actually want.
And honestly, that contrast is perfectly fine; while it's happening, you get the chance to let go of that "I don't want this" mindset, which actually helps you refine your ultimate goal until it fits you perfectly.
2) However, if you fight against that contrast, you fall straight into "duality," where you end up trying to hold onto two opposing forces—like trying to have both the harvest and the drought at once—and in the end, you're left with neither. This happens because our core being simply cannot sustain duality; it's not that scarcity is waiting for you, it's just that in that specific moment, you're experiencing an overwhelming surplus of conflicting signals.
______
To wrap this up, I realize my posts can be a bit rambling and scattered, much like everyone else's here. Truth isn't dualistic, and it certainly isn't something you can debate. It’s unlikely this thread will provide any concrete answers to anyone. Everyone uses their own "inner tools" however they see fit. I'm not saying this topic is a failure, just that the question itself is far too broad, which tends to just add more confusion to the mix.
We really ought to simplify this down to a psychological experience—a conversation about raw feelings and stepping away from logic altogether.
Anyone who feels this sensation is grappling with a "moral dilemma."
I actually came across this concept in a book recently. It’s one of those parts of ourselves we tend to suppress. In fact, if you were to conduct a study, you'd find that practically zero percent of people could give you a clear definition of what a moral dilemma truly is.
Yet, a century ago, it was something everyone understood intuitively.
IT IS THE ACT OF CHOOSING BETWEEN TWO OPTIONS THAT BOTH SEEM EQUALLY GOOD.
That is the heart of this discussion, not intuition. As someone mentioned earlier, intuition can falter or hit a wall, but that doesn't mean it has vanished; it just means it has been exhausted by endless loops of thought that spiral into fear and drift miles away from reality. Reality doesn't care about your moral dilemmas if you lose touch with the present moment, which is exactly what happens during a dilemma. Reality consists of two points: the present, animalistic point where you breathe, eat, and sleep, and the point representing whether you achieved something or didn't. Between those two, there is nothing. Except for you.
______
There you have it. I hope there are some folks interested in this. I think pivoting toward the psychological dimension would help us all. Where do these black-and-white ideas come from? They stem from duality, not from the primal, real world where day and night, or hunger and satiety, actually exist. They come from the duality of the mind, where if something isn't executed in one exact way... right this very second... it simply won't be good enough. Furthermore, nobody walks around bragging about being so "deep" that they face moral dilemmas; instead, you just feel like a weakling who is paralyzed by indecision. Some people might actually be weaklings, I suppose, though I couldn't say for sure. The factual reality is that I cannot see the future with absolute precision. Even if I catch a glimpse through my "inner eye," it remains merely an internal reality.
It is certain that the future will be richer than the present. The future is inherently fuller than today. But that doesn't guarantee it will be financially wealthy. And that, I think, is the universal fear we all share.
If you truly hold onto your faith, even the most intense passions and worldly desires can't keep the angels from finding their way in.
Ultimately, faith stands above everything else.
I think I finally see what this whole discussion is getting at, especially regarding the things I’ve been wrestling with for the last nine months. It’s that constant moral tug-of-war. You know that sensation where you feel like you’re right on the edge of losing your mind? Well, sometimes that feeling is fueled by your raw impulses and desires, but other times, that exact same sense of impending madness is actually triggered by your faith. In a way, our feelings are shaped by every internal script we run—every program we have—and yes, faith is one of those programs too. But once you realize that faith is more than just another mental subroutine, that overwhelming feeling of instability and insanity starts to settle down into something much calmer.
It’s often much easier to rely on logic and intellect than it is to simply believe, isn't it? At least until those very thoughts start turning against you.
So, what happens next? When you’re trying to escape that sense of duality, you find yourself fixating on some third, seemingly unrelated thing instead. For me, right now, I am hunting for my gloves. And they are nowhere to be found. Honestly, if I could just pinpoint where they vanished to, I feel like a massive weight would finally lift off my chest.
And I feel absolutely terrible about these gloves—how could they just vanish into thin air? It makes me feel so incredibly foolish, like I can't even begin to fathom what happened to them... I try to trace back to the last time I saw them, but knowing the date doesn't help at all, because ever since that last encounter, there’s just this total black hole in my memory.
If you spend your life searching for things like gloves just to distract yourself from duality, you might actually stumble straight into psychosis. You see, madness isn't something that just falls from the sky; it’s a choice, much like everything else we decide to embrace.
A "normal" person tends to focus inward. So, I’m attempting to stop this hysterical spiral over a pair of gloves. But then again, I’m not exactly normal, and I don't necessarily believe that turning my focus inward is going to solve anything. I'm doing it purely as a survival tactic, just so I don't lose my mind.
And then, suddenly, it all clicks.
Duality is really just what occurs when we step into a state of contrast—into something we aren't ready to face. That’s the lesson I've learned. Instead of waiting for the tension of the contrast to pass, we end up digging ourselves deeper into the duality.
It’s no easier when it comes to career paths than it is when dealing with two different people. Because once you commit your mind to something and your heart follows suit, you find yourself pulled in two directions at once.
Let’s be real: nobody actually wants to be honest with themselves.
Because if you were truly honest, you’d have to admit that you want both things. We are spiritual beings, after all, and we find joy in everything. Our natural instinct is always to expand our territory of happiness.
You see this play out in romance all the time. You choose one person and dive into a singular, special universe with them; you often find more depth with one soul than you ever could with ten.
But in those moments before you've committed to that one person, you find yourself wanting to be with two.
So, in the end, I just want to tell those gloves to go jump in a lake, because even if I do find them, I’ll probably tear them to shreds just for the sheer torment they’ve put me through.
Ultimately, it all boils down to being someone who loves themselves—someone who discards anything that causes friction or hinders their own personal growth.
But while you are in the middle of that growth, you want so many things. You want to prove that you are bigger than all of it.
rustytiger35 said:I feel like I’m standing at this massive crossroads in my life right now—just clearing out all the junk, from toxic relationships to old jobs... everything is being swept away.
So, I finally decided I’m going to start actually listening to my gut, but honestly? I have absolutely no clue how you even do that! Is that inner voice actually my soul's deepest desire—like, what I *truly* want—or is it that blunt, annoying voice telling me things I really don't want to hear, even if they are ultimately good for me?
Something wild happened today: I've been hunting for a new job for ages. A few weeks back, I got an offer that sounds incredible on paper. The benefits, the pay, the vibe—it’s all top-tier. Today, I was chatting about it with my circle of friends, and everyone was totally stoked for me, basically already picturing me sitting in that office. But me? I’m just feeling... nothing. Totally neutral. But because everyone was pushing me so hard toward it today, I started getting all jittery and anxious, and suddenly I'm second-guessing every single thing about the whole deal. Then, on my way back from grabbing coffee, I hop in my car and blast some music... and right then, the radio starts blaring: "relax, dont do it..."
Now, I gotta know—is that a total sign from the universe, or just one of those random coincidences that I should probably just ignore?🤔😲
Honestly, it's a bit of both.
It is simultaneously your deepest longing and that uncomfortable voice telling you things you'd rather ignore.
You see, because we are all so constantly bombarded by societal programming and external expectations, our actual desires get buried under layers of "shoulds." Often, what we think is our own genuine wish is actually just something we believe is better for us, even if it isn't what our heart truly craves. 🍿
For instance, I find myself completely head over heels for two different men at once.
It’s just one of those messy, complicated situations, much like ☕
And they are both just as enamored with me. 👍
I can't even begin to describe the whirlwind of emotions I'm navigating right now.
It looks something like that, right at the moment I hit "confirm payment" to finalize everything.
Now, Google is telling me I need to tweak some configuration settings, but honestly, my memory is failing me—I can’t quite recall how to pull up that side menu window again.
They didn't actually give me a clear timeline regarding when my debit card will show up at my doorstep once the account is officially open. Does anyone have any firsthand experience or insight on how long this usually takes with JP Morgan Chase?
Could someone please lend me a hand with transferring some funds to another country? I would truly appreciate it. 🙂
The destination is also within the Eurozone. When I spoke with my folks at JP Morgan Chase, they suggested I just handle everything through their mobile app, which would cost me only $10... whereas if I went into a physical branch, they’d charge me 90 . But here's the rub: I'm staring at the screen right now and there is absolutely nowhere to input the recipient's IBAN. It's just not there. I've tried searching on Google, but I can't find anything helpful about processing wire transfers via the JP Morgan Chase app.
I am honestly at a bit of a loss as to how to fix this.
On the JP Morgan Chase app:
Enter transaction details
Sender - Me (pre-filled)
Recipient IBAN... (is it theirs? It won't accept it... is it set to dollars??? Their IBAN seems to have a few fewer digits than what I'm trying to enter)
Did the bank give me the wrong advice entirely?????
There is simply no field to type it in. And now it's asking for some specific model and reference number for the recipient, something like US ___ ________________. Where on earth did that come from?
My wife just told me to head home and pay it in person to save some money, which sounds lovely in theory $20.
I am feeling quite desperate here.
I have all their information ready to go—the IBAN, the Tax ID, and the Swift code.
ambertrucker3 said:Laughter is honestly the best way to kill the pain. 🙂 Turn the lights on for a second so you can finally see why certain people are always acting so stuck up. 🙂
It’s honestly quite true; once they finally track down that one faulty valve, everything just starts running smoothly without a single hiccup.
There’s something truly special about those spontaneous outbursts of genuine laughter—the kind that just takes over your whole being. I find myself hoping that we can actually experience that sort of raw, unfiltered, and pure joy here, though if I’m being completely honest, I haven't quite stumbled upon it just yet. It almost feels like you need the right kind of spark, perhaps a truly great conversationalist by your side, to really unlock that level of connection and let the laughter flow naturally.
P.S. I’ve officially hit my two-thousandth post! Honestly, it feels like a bit of a milestone, doesn't it? Anyway, please wish me luck regarding that thing I mentioned earlier—fingers crossed that everything turns out just the way I'm hoping it will. 🙂
boldmason42 said:I haven't experienced them that way at all. To me, they look more like people who have figured out some incredibly practical mechanisms that most people totally overlook, which makes them act like these invisible forces working from the background. Plus, based on what they teach, it seems they’ve reached something they consider an experiential fact. From that standpoint, they still maintain a "surface personality" and an "ego," but they see it clearly now—they aren't "under the spell" of it anymore, like someone caught in a trance. It’s almost like the outer layer of a limited person stops being a prison for the infinite self inside; the relationship shifts from being parasitic to being symbiotic.
Exactly!
At their core, they are simply self-actualized individuals. It might be that we seekers are occasionally drawn to Zen-like consciousness, craving it constantly, but that isn't the ultimate essence of life. True self-actualization is about leaving a mark by actually utilizing what you've found.
Secondly, self-actualization moves in tandem with an expansion of awareness, and vice versa; achieving self-actualization is what facilitates a higher state of consciousness. All those wise proverbs we hold dear are essentially the fruits of heightened awareness, which is why they endure and continue to be passed down. You know you’ve reached a higher consciousness when you can recognize the underlying unity between your own experience of self-actualization and that of others.
You aren't comparing yourself to them; rather, you are sharing the experience. To be detached from consciousness would be to exist like a mere plant. Being a Homo sapiens is something entirely different.
Zen consciousness tends to walk hand-in-hand with being a guru or a priest; it requires some sort of structure, some path of self-actualization, otherwise, you're just drifting through a chaotic, muddled mind.
And honestly, I’m all for it, because at the end of the day, it’s entirely their call.
Think of them as the high priests of our modern era.
If you decide to commit your heart to a different path, then I suppose the old ways just won't work anymore; it’s much like how energy naturally flows toward wherever you choose to direct your attention.
I’ve come to the conclusion that this intense craving for enlightenment is actually just a triple threat of spiritual dissatisfaction, restlessness, and a healthy dose of ego all rolled into one package.
And then, occasionally, someone actually hits the mark. They experience it. And that’s really the end of the story. If you spend enough time meditating, you might even be able to catch that lightning in a bottle more than once, though personally, I find that nothing ever quite sticks for me—it just slips right through my fingers.
To me, achieving pure awareness isn't some sort of divine ascension; it's really just about being a functional human being. *Sniff.*
silverwolf98 said:Since you’ve been practicing "Inquiry," have you actually "succeeded" in feeling consciousness without that nagging sense of being separate from it?
Well, I actually did manage it—it happened once, a little while back now. I haven’t really brought it up before because, honestly, I can be a bit vain about these things, and I worried that talking about it might somehow muddy the waters or cloud my own mind.
I don't regret sharing it, nor am I sitting here desperately trying to make it happen again.
It felt like one of those singular, unrepeatable moments in life, much like the mystery of birth or death; you can't just pull it out of a hat whenever you feel like it.
That specific instance was wonderful, though I’ve had other experiences that were even more beautiful. Generally speaking, I find myself drawn toward experiences that feel a bit more grounded in reality.
I don't really want to try and pin it down with words, though we have sort of sketched out the general idea of what it was.
I certainly don't view it as something lost, because it remains perfectly intact within my memory.
I honestly find myself at a loss for words. My deepest respects, namaste!
It is quite profound, isn't it? The mind truly does have this incredible capacity to fracture itself over things, and it happens so effortlessly.
Holding onto aversion simply doesn't serve anyone in the long run.
(Latin: *aversio*) It refers to a sense of repulsion, disgust, or even hatred; in rhetoric, it describes a clever little maneuver where a speaker subtly steers the listener away from the core subject without them ever realizing they've been diverted.
I find myself drawn to the topic of enlightenment for rather obvious reasons, which is exactly why we’ve all gathered here in this corner of the internet.
Actually, I find this particular topic much more pleasant to dwell on.
Fantasist suggested that everything discussed here is essentially the same thing, which led Fazlija to point out that if he truly feels that way, he should just take his grievances elsewhere instead of derailing this specific conversation about the life and legacy of Alan Watts.
I am more than ready to take on this challenge.
Fazlija As I was reflecting on this earlier, I couldn't help but think about how much our perspectives shift depending on the lens we choose to look through, almost like how one might observe a shifting landscape from a moving train window in the Midwest. It brings to mind certain observations made by Joseph Bailey41, who always seems to have such a unique way of framing these deeper truths.
If we decide that the outward structure doesn't really matter, then I suppose we could certainly pivot this conversation toward more profound subjects like meditation techniques, the art of quieting the restless mind, or even the elusive nature of enlightenment... there is certainly no shortage of deep waters to dive into. However, for me, the vessel is just as important as the contents, so I find myself wanting to hold steady on this particular topic regarding our memories of Alan Watts—that true apostle of Buddhism. 🙂
Since you brought up Hesse—who, let’s be honest, isn't exactly what we're hunting for here given he was primarily a literary novelist—I still find myself circling back to one specific insight of his tucked away in that Nobel Prize-winning book of his.
We can’t ever truly grasp the absolute truth in its raw, unadulterated form; instead, what we are actually doing is navigating a constant, lifelong process of aligning our own inner selves closer to it. It’s less about capturing a destination and more about the intentional act of positioning one's own being in relation to that ultimate istina. Perhaps we should simply accept the idea that we are constantly shifting our position within this vast existence, forever moving through layers of reality, which means we can never truly pin it down or fully grasp its essence. And honestly, if you think about it, there is a certain liberation in realizing that we don't actually *need* to capture it at all.
I wouldn't say I'm particularly swept up in all this excitement, to be honest. It’s more that a very similar realization just sort of drifted into my mind through my own personal life, much like a sudden change in the weather catching you off guard while you're out for a stroll.
It’s quite fascinating how our entire perception of reality shifts depending on where we choose to stand. From one particular vantage point, certain things in our lives feel perfectly pleasant, almost effortless in their comfort. But the moment we shift our perspective—moving just a few steps to a different position—that sense of ease can vanish entirely. It’s much like looking at a landscape from a hilltop versus standing in a valley; the scenery hasn't changed, but your relationship to it has completely transformed. When we make that shift, the mind begins to chase after that lost sense of pleasure, yearning for the comfort it once felt, and in doing so, it loses its stillness. We end up agitated, caught in this restless pursuit of a feeling that was only ever dependent on where we were looking.
It seems much more productive to simply quiet the noise at its source, rather than frantically chasing after those fleeting moments of pleasure once they have already slipped through our fingers.
I find myself quite curious to see how Fazlija's perspective unfolds on this matter, along with the various insights from the other members of this forum regarding such a challenge.
How much damage can gnosis actually do—that deep-seated urge to constantly probe and dissect everything—if we have to face the reality that the ultimate Truth remains just beyond our grasp? It feels like a bit of a trap, doesn't it? When you wander into uncharted territory where your old mental maps fail, what on earth are you supposed to lean on instead of that relentless questioning? There’s such a flood of populist nonsense floating around these days, all those trendy slogans telling you how "amazing" it is to step outside your comfort zone, as if simply being uncomfortable is some kind of spiritual shortcut to enlightenment. But without a solid way to navigate the unknown, isn't all that overthinking just a recipe for getting lost in the woods?
I don't actually think they're all that bad, if you ask me.
It looks like they’re finally offering some kind of response.
So, here’s the question that’s been swirling around my mind lately... You know that feeling when something is providing you with this profound sense of comfort? It’s as if the ego becomes completely mesmerized, falling into this quiet, tranquil state where everything just feels right. But then—and this is the kicker—something shifts. Maybe you physically move, or perhaps there’s just a subtle internal adjustment, and suddenly, that blissful comfort starts to slip away. I was wondering if any of you have ever encountered this specific phenomenon, where the ego, sensing that loss, begins to make these incredibly loud, almost desperate demands to reclaim that pleasure at any cost? It’s like a sudden, frantic tug-of-war within the self. I'd love to hear your thoughts on why that happens and how you perceive those intense, grasping impulses.
They say character is destiny, don't they? It’s like building the foundation of a house; if you pour a solid, resolute foundation from the very start, everything else tends to settle into place much more naturally—provided, of course, that you approach life with a healthy dose of humility and a bit of gut intuition.
It’s a bit like navigating through a thick fog on a cross-country road trip; you can never be entirely certain of your exact coordinates, let alone where everyone else is positioned on the map...
But honestly, the mere fact that you’re out there asking these tough questions is a sign that the answers are waiting to be found, so just keep pressing forward and don't give up!
It’s actually quite simple, really. You just start making decisions. At first, it feels heavy, but as time passes, you find yourself making more and more of them, almost instinctively. Eventually, you realize that you feel so much better once you stop hesitating, because—let’s be honest—most choices aren't exactly matters of life and death. Even if you trip up, you always have the chance to pivot or change course later, whether you realize it in the moment or not. The more often you pull the trigger on a choice, the easier the muscle memory becomes.
In my view, those people who spend all their time philosophizing about every little thing are essentially living in a state of perpetual dilemma. You just need to get out there and get a little taste of actual life.
If you're wondering how it gets easier, it's through sheer repetition. Think about being at the checkout line at Target; you aren't going to drop dead if you decide to grab a specific brand of coffee over another, and you carry that small sense of agency with you.
That momentum allows you to act much faster, and before you know it, your self-confidence starts to climb.
Take a quick trip through a grocery store, for instance. You might make ten different tiny decisions without even breaking a sweat—not that I'm suggesting you buy everything in sight, but rather that you decisively choose "yes" or "no" for those few items in your cart.
Once you master that, you begin to see the truth: those "massive," daunting decisions? They don't really exist.
P.S. It doesn't necessarily have to work out that way... actually, I’m more interested in just having a good old-fashioned chat, because there are plenty of ways to take a stroll without needing to physically move an inch, so no harm done.
We could certainly find an equivalent, perhaps some sort of virtual strolling session, provided it's done with a bit of flair. If anyone feels like talking without feeling like they're constantly walking on eggshells—whether we're critiquing society, debating what's on the menu, discussing wellness habits, or just venting about grocery store sales and the general grind of daily life—well, if you fancy a little casual company like that, my "psychoanalysis chat" is always open. I’ve never been one for high-pressure situations. I can't stand those rigid, structured formats or those endless checklists that never seem to actually satisfy anyone's soul. A chat doesn't need to be a grand drama; if you just want to unwind and let things flow, feel free to reach out to me on the psychoanalysis chat.