What are the results of your spiritual journey?

It is entirely possible for a person to feel "lesser" upon realizing how difficult it is to meet their own lofty standards, especially when the bar is set impossibly high. On top of that, constant self-reflection tends to only intensify that sense of inadequacy. True personal growth requires both conscious awareness and the willingness to embrace one's own Shadow ( Jung ).

Steven Cruz3 said:I know most people would jump to that conclusion, but seriously, this isn't about an ego trip or some "savior complex." You've gotta do something with your life, and so far, this is just what works for me. I'm not looking for some deep, philosophical meaning in it all. I learn something, I share something. I make someone smile, and someone smiles back at me. There are good days and there are rough ones, but overall, this is what I love doing more than anything else. Probably because I've always been pretty empathetic toward others. Maybe it's the love for a challenge, or just liking the interaction... I don't even know myself.

And for the most part—like 95% of the time—I am giving advice to people who actually want it, but yeah, occasionally I just let loose and start typing, regardless of the circumstances.

Can people survive without help? Of course they can. Deep down, everyone has their own inner compass and mental strength. The question is how fast they'll get there and how much unnecessary suffering they'll have to endure along the way. Most of the time, we're talking about people who have spent years being torn down by someone or something, which just guts their self-esteem. So, in my book, it doesn't hurt to lend a hand and help them take those first few steps toward what they actually want.

I don't know if you really caught my drift, but it doesn't matter. I'm equally committed to embracing and experiencing every emotion that comes naturally. I'm talking about the thoughts that happen before and after, and the emotional fallout that follows.

Personally, I'm really glad when someone speaks from the heart like that—saying they don't regret anything and would do it all again. Just keep in mind that your way of living doesn't work for everyone. What you're describing is like drifting down a white-water river without a paddle. For some, it's a thrilling ride straight to the destination; for others, they're just going to smash into the rocks.

Whether people are famous or total strangers doesn't make a difference to me. Everyone feels, everyone strives for happiness, and everyone matters. That's more than enough reason for me to care. As for how long life lasts... that doesn't bother me. I live my life my way, I'm satisfied, and I have zero regrets. Sure, there are still things I need to sort out in my own life, but hey, I'm enjoying the process.🙂
So you're telling me you're trying to help me because you haven't found anything better to do with your life? Honestly—thanks. I can't even tell you how much of a compliment that is. 😁

I know most people would jump to that conclusion, but seriously, this isn't about an ego trip or some "savior complex." You've gotta do something with your life, and so far, this is just what works for me. I'm not looking for some deep, philosophical meaning in it all. I learn something, I share something. I make someone smile, and someone smiles back at me. There are good days and there are rough ones, but overall, this is what I love doing more than anything else. Probably because I've always been pretty empathetic toward others. Maybe it's the love for a challenge, or just liking the interaction... I don't even know myself.

And for the most part—like 95% of the time—I am giving advice to people who actually want it, but yeah, occasionally I just let loose and start typing, regardless of the circumstances.

Can people survive without help? Of course they can. Deep down, everyone has their own inner compass and mental strength. The question is how fast they'll get there and how much unnecessary suffering they'll have to endure along the way. Most of the time, we're talking about people who have spent years being torn down by someone or something, which just guts their self-esteem. So, in my book, it doesn't hurt to lend a hand and help them take those first few steps toward what they actually want.

I don't know if you really caught my drift, but it doesn't matter. I'm equally committed to embracing and experiencing every emotion that comes naturally. I'm talking about the thoughts that happen before and after, and the emotional fallout that follows.

Personally, I'm really glad when someone speaks from the heart like that—saying they don't regret anything and would do it all again. Just keep in mind that your way of living doesn't work for everyone. What you're describing is like drifting down a white-water river without a paddle. For some, it's a thrilling ride straight to the destination; for others, they're just going to smash into the rocks.

Whether people are famous or total strangers doesn't make a difference to me. Everyone feels, everyone strives for happiness, and everyone matters. That's more than enough reason for me to care. As for how long life lasts... that doesn't bother me. I live my life my way, I'm satisfied, and I have zero regrets. Sure, there are still things I need to sort out in my own life, but hey, I'm enjoying the process.🙂
Yeah, there were some pretty sketchy descents down that wild canyon—haven't broken anything yet, though. Honestly, I feel stupid even dwelling on it. There’s too much left on my bucket list to waste time crying over stuff that's already done. No point dragging the past around when I've got actual goals to hit. Not wasting my energy on it. 🙂

Look, I don't get what you guys are actually saying about thoughts—
I’m talking about the thoughts you have leading up to it—and the ones right after—plus that whole emotional rollercoaster that follows.

Emotions aren't just random feelings—they're reactions to something REAL. They’re signals, sure, but they’re also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue—that part is easy. You use your head to sort through the mess, spot the problem, scan for obstacles or openings, and weigh your strengths against your weaknesses. That's how you build a strategy. My focus is always on the reality sitting right in front of my face. When you're in the middle of white-water rafting down a massive river, digging around in your own head about what you felt before or after the rush is just pointless. It’s unproductive, and frankly, it's a waste of time. 🙂
I’m totally with you on that—dwelling on things just doesn't make sense. I’m rooting for you as you move forward
on your life's journey 🙂

But I don't really get what you guys mean regarding thoughts:
'' I'm talking about the thoughts before and after, and the emotional experience that evolves from them. ''

See, an emotion hits you as a reaction to something REAL—it's a signal, sure, but it's also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue. Thoughts are there to sort things out, spot the problems, scan for obstacles versus opportunities, and weigh strengths against weaknesses. You build a strategy... the focus should be on the reality right in front of your face. When you’re in the middle of white-water rafting through a gorge, trying to dig through your internal monologue about how you felt five minutes ago or how you'll feel later is just nonsensical and totally unproductive. 🙂

On one hand, you've got a point, but emotions aren't just reactions to physical reality—they're reactions to our own thoughts too. But whatever, it doesn't really matter right now—it sounds like we're thinking along pretty similar lines, even if we're framing it differently.

Nicholas Gonzalez8 said:

I’m totally with you on that—dwelling on things just doesn't make sense. I’m rooting for you as you move forward
on your life's journey 🙂

But I don't really get what you guys mean regarding thoughts:
'' I'm talking about the thoughts before and after, and the emotional experience that evolves from them. ''

See, an emotion hits you as a reaction to something REAL—it's a signal, sure, but it's also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue. Thoughts are there to sort things out, spot the problems, scan for obstacles versus opportunities, and weigh strengths against weaknesses. You build a strategy... the focus should be on the reality right in front of your face. When you’re in the middle of white-water rafting through a gorge, trying to dig through your internal monologue about how you felt five minutes ago or how you'll feel later is just nonsensical and totally unproductive. 🙂

On one hand, you've got a point, but emotions aren't just reactions to physical reality—they're reactions to our own thoughts too. But whatever, it doesn't really matter right now—it sounds like we're thinking along pretty similar lines, even if we're framing it differently.
I’m totally with you on that—dwelling on things just doesn't make sense. I’m rooting for you as you move forward
on your life's journey 🙂

But I don't really get what you guys mean regarding thoughts:
'' I'm talking about the thoughts before and after, and the emotional experience that evolves from them. ''

See, an emotion hits you as a reaction to something REAL—it's a signal, sure, but it's also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue. Thoughts are there to sort things out, spot the problems, scan for obstacles versus opportunities, and weigh strengths against weaknesses. You build a strategy... the focus should be on the reality right in front of your face. When you’re in the middle of white-water rafting through a gorge, trying to dig through your internal monologue about how you felt five minutes ago or how you'll feel later is just nonsensical and totally unproductive. 🙂

On one hand, you've got a point, but emotions aren't just reactions to physical reality—they're reactions to our own thoughts too. But whatever, it doesn't really matter right now—it sounds like we're thinking along pretty similar lines, even if we're framing it differently.
I’d argue that thoughts and emotions are basically joined at the hip. And honestly, I'm not even sure what you mean by "reality." Thoughts include everything from recognizing a face to catching an impression or hearing a sound, right? It's all part of the same messy loop.

Zachary Gonzalez8 said:

I’m totally with you on that—dwelling on things just doesn't make sense. I’m rooting for you as you move forward
on your life's journey 🙂

But I don't really get what you guys mean regarding thoughts:
'' I'm talking about the thoughts before and after, and the emotional experience that evolves from them. ''

See, an emotion hits you as a reaction to something REAL—it's a signal, sure, but it's also the fuel you need to actually take action. For me, pairing thought with emotion was never the issue. Thoughts are there to sort things out, spot the problems, scan for obstacles versus opportunities, and weigh strengths against weaknesses. You build a strategy... the focus should be on the reality right in front of your face. When you’re in the middle of white-water rafting through a gorge, trying to dig through your internal monologue about how you felt five minutes ago or how you'll feel later is just nonsensical and totally unproductive. 🙂

On one hand, you've got a point, but emotions aren't just reactions to physical reality—they're reactions to our own thoughts too. But whatever, it doesn't really matter right now—it sounds like we're thinking along pretty similar lines, even if we're framing it differently.
I’d argue that thoughts and emotions are basically joined at the hip. And honestly, I'm not even sure what you mean by "reality." Thoughts include everything from recognizing a face to catching an impression or hearing a sound, right? It's all part of the same messy loop.
When people say "real," I assume they’re talking about external reality or actual events—as opposed to an emotional reaction triggered by something purely internal, like replaying old memories.

Think of emotions as an energy field within the aura. It’s this arc-shaped field surrounding the head. You see it in classic American art when saints are depicted with halos; it suggests that people could actually perceive this phenomenon. While those halos are traditionally painted gold, they really represent that yellowish-pink glow a person emits when their consciousness is centered and their mood is steady.

As a person's mood shifts based on their mental state—whether it's anxiety, grief, fear, or sadness—that pinkish-yellow field starts picking up other colors. Usually, it looks mottled or multicolored because those heavy emotions linger, influencing the flow of thought itself. The thoughts then feed back into the field, creating a continuous loop where mind and emotion are locked together.

Some people can actually see this. I’ve experienced certain states where it became visible to me, though my perception isn't perfect. Someone with highly developed vision could trigger this at will. For instance, I can see a wider aura around people, animals, or even plants, but for me, it looks like a thin, shimmering, misty haze—kind of like cigarette smoke. This field extends several feet around a person and moves right along with them.

We understand the biological side of emotions—how the endocrine system, biochemistry, and synapses react—but energetically, it’s tied to that field around the head. That field is just one small part of the much larger aura that can extend up to 80 feet around an adult. The physical body is actually just a dense segment of this energy; we are permeated by subtle energies and higher levels that could theoretically be measured with instruments. However, the human being is an infinitely more complex "instrument" than anything we have ever created. In theory, our perception can expand immensely through proper development. Unfortunately, most people dismiss this as "nonsense" or "delusion," which is just a byproduct of a mainstream scientific worldview that demands blind faith in its own established dogmas.

mistygull16 said:I get the feeling a good chunk of you guys are deep into some kind of spiritual journey or self-improvement grind... and honestly, I'm curious—what’s actually happening on your end? Like, what are the real results of all this work?

I know it's hard to pin down specifics, but I bet there's still an answer somewhere in there.

I’m also interested in the heavy stuff, like if anyone here has actually hit that "dark night of the soul" phase.

But hey, obviously feel free to lean more into the wins and the positive shifts too.

If you can, try to give me something a bit more... I don't know, unique? Let's skip the cliché stuff about having a "peaceful mind" and all that blah blah blah.😉

My biggest breakthrough has been a massive drop in anxiety about the future. It basically boils down to this: don't believe everything your brain tells you. Quiet the internal chatter, stay present, and just let life unfold when it's ready.
Whenever you start anticipating something, you tend to project all these false scenarios onto the future. In my experience, those mental projections are wrong about 90% of the time.

Justin Garcia7 said:My biggest breakthrough has been a massive drop in anxiety about the future. It basically boils down to this: don't believe everything your brain tells you. Quiet the internal chatter, stay present, and just let life unfold when it's ready.
Whenever you start anticipating something, you tend to project all these false scenarios onto the future. In my experience, those mental projections are wrong about 90% of the time.

I wasn't talking about anticipation, more like what we've actually noticed through all that "self-work" over the last year🤷

I mean, I get the whole "no expectations" thing, but let's be real, sometimes having a little drive or some inspiration is what gets us moving in the first place...

Casey Gomez said:It is entirely possible for a person to feel "lesser" upon realizing how difficult it is to meet their own lofty standards, especially when the bar is set impossibly high. On top of that, constant self-reflection tends to only intensify that sense of inadequacy. True personal growth requires both conscious awareness and the willingness to embrace one's own Shadow ( Jung ).

Thanks for sharing that Jungian thought...

That whole "own shadow" thing really stuck with me lately.
Digging into my shadow is pretty intense—it’s kind of exciting, but I’m definitely feeling some nervous resistance too. Just trying to ride out whatever comes up.

Feels like once you start pulling this thread, there's no going back... even if you wanted to.

Justin Garcia7 said:My biggest breakthrough has been a massive drop in anxiety about the future. It basically boils down to this: don't believe everything your brain tells you. Quiet the internal chatter, stay present, and just let life unfold when it's ready.
Whenever you start anticipating something, you tend to project all these false scenarios onto the future. In my experience, those mental projections are wrong about 90% of the time.

👍

I’m not entirely sure about the results—after all, we’re all on these journeys that either drag on forever or maybe never truly end. But since these paths are so complex, and honestly kind of terrifying sometimes, we get to peek into so many different corners of ourselves. By diving straight into our own shadow, we can finally see our lives through a whole new set of mirrors.

I’ve started to realize that simplicity is actually the best way to measure spiritual progress. Whenever I manage to keep things simple, I feel like I'm succeeding. Simplicity is what eventually led me to love. Or maybe it was the other way around? I'm not quite sure.😍

Anthony Ross2 said:I’m not entirely sure about the results—after all, we’re all on these journeys that either drag on forever or maybe never truly end. But since these paths are so complex, and honestly kind of terrifying sometimes, we get to peek into so many different corners of ourselves. By diving straight into our own shadow, we can finally see our lives through a whole new set of mirrors.

I’ve started to realize that simplicity is actually the best way to measure spiritual progress. Whenever I manage to keep things simple, I feel like I'm succeeding. Simplicity is what eventually led me to love. Or maybe it was the other way around? I'm not quite sure.😍

This is such a beautiful sentiment.

Anthony Ross2 said:I’m not entirely sure about the results—after all, we’re all on these journeys that either drag on forever or maybe never truly end. But since these paths are so complex, and honestly kind of terrifying sometimes, we get to peek into so many different corners of ourselves. By diving straight into our own shadow, we can finally see our lives through a whole new set of mirrors.

I’ve started to realize that simplicity is actually the best way to measure spiritual progress. Whenever I manage to keep things simple, I feel like I'm succeeding. Simplicity is what eventually led me to love. Or maybe it was the other way around? I'm not quite sure.😍

Results are whatever we decide they are. They don't just vanish when this body dies or when this life wraps up... people think this world is the center of the universe... it's pure ego.

steelgardener22 said:Results are whatever we decide they are. They don't just vanish when this body dies or when this life wraps up... people think this world is the center of the universe... it's pure ego.

Lol, you really nailed that quote. Your energy is actually kind of spooky—it's like you've got a tail and horns instead of wings! 😁

steelgardener22 said:Results are whatever we decide they are. They don't just vanish when this body dies or when this life wraps up... people think this world is the center of the universe... it's pure ego.

Sometimes we just swallow things whole out of pure ignorance—thinking what we've accepted is actually the truth. It isn't about the stage we perform on; it’s about the truth itself—but only the kind of truth that leaves absolutely no room for falsehoods.🙂

Anthony Ross2 said:I’m not entirely sure about the results—after all, we’re all on these journeys that either drag on forever or maybe never truly end. But since these paths are so complex, and honestly kind of terrifying sometimes, we get to peek into so many different corners of ourselves. By diving straight into our own shadow, we can finally see our lives through a whole new set of mirrors.

I’ve started to realize that simplicity is actually the best way to measure spiritual progress. Whenever I manage to keep things simple, I feel like I'm succeeding. Simplicity is what eventually led me to love. Or maybe it was the other way around? I'm not quite sure.😍

So simple and just beautiful 😍
Simple and peaceful 🙂

Justin Garcia7 said:My biggest breakthrough has been a massive drop in anxiety about the future. It basically boils down to this: don't believe everything your brain tells you. Quiet the internal chatter, stay present, and just let life unfold when it's ready.
Whenever you start anticipating something, you tend to project all these false scenarios onto the future. In my experience, those mental projections are wrong about 90% of the time.

It took me asking a thousand different questions just to realize that almost every single thought I had—every single one that popped up as an answer—was totally off base.

It was a real headache, honestly, but I guess I had to go through that whole interrogation process just to wrap my head around the fact that thoughts are just... thoughts. They're conditioned by what we've been through.

I still have this reflex, this old habit, where I end up believing them, but now I actually have some life experience telling me that they aren't 100% accurate. Most of the time, they're just noise.

Also, regarding that idea of keeping things simple? I really think that's the true litmus test for maturity. It shows you actually have clarity. A complicated person is usually just a confused person.