Growth!

FW190 said:Since when have I ever given a damn about such trivialities? 🤣 🤣 🤣

So, what? We just stay in our own little bubbles then?

It’s a bit grating, isn't it? 😳 😈 😁

I wasn't exactly born with a sunny disposition, if you catch my drift... 😁

What are you even talking about?😕

What exactly is "grating" me?😕 🙄

spider jerusalem said:Bliss is just a dead end.

I wouldn't say that—not if you view bliss as something that builds upon itself, gaining depth and quality until it finally leads you toward
that realization of eternal consciousness—you know, that true state of being.

Karen Sanchez19 said:what are you even talking about?😕

What’s bothering me?😕 🙄

I mean, just being in your own element, you know?😁

You gotta be flexible to handle stuff like that🤣

and honestly, it's probably not even the most pleasant experience😂

Sophia Jones61 said:just feeling at home, you know?😁

I suppose one needs some level of flexibility for that sort of thing🤣

though it probably isn't exactly pleasant either😂

Honestly, I don't even follow what you're getting at here.🙄

Karen Sanchez19 said:dude, I honestly have no idea what you're even talking about🙄

Sadly, there isn't an emoji out there that can actually capture how ridiculous this is. 😢

You'll just have to live with the fact that I don't exist, the stuff I'm saying doesn't exist (since there's nobody here to say it), and you aren't even here to be confused by it. 😎

Get it now? 😁

Man, if you're looking for that high-end tech vibe, this guy isn't it. :cerek: But honestly? Even if he’s a total mess, he’s just so incredibly charming and cool. :cerek: 😁

Look, I know I can be a bit of a jerk and a total misanthrope, but I wouldn't even bother reaching out if I didn't have his number 😁 At worst, I'll just drop off the unknown 😁

Wait, so you're saying you don't want the authentic Italian Nutella? Guess there's more for me then! 🥳

unknown said:If you're looking for perfection, forget it—he’s not some high-end tech gadget. But honestly? Even if he's a total mess, he's just too charming and cool to pass up. 😁

Look, I know I'm a bit of a jerk and a total misanthrope, but I wouldn't even bother reaching out if I didn't have his number 😁 At worst, I can always just drop him an 😁

Wait, so you aren't getting the authentic imported Nutella? Sounds like more for me then. 🥳

unknown, I never said I wouldn't 😁

I have to say this just so you don't take it personally 😁

And what would someone like Ramakrishna do anyway? He’d probably just be leaving sticky notes on a bulletin board somewhere 😁

If you've got questions, just ask. It's not like He's here for no reason 😉

And how do you know I don't have a gorgeous blonde, feminine 🙂 type waiting in the wings?

Sophia Jones61 said:Slowly, I didn't say I wouldn't

I have to say this so you don't take it personally 😁

And what kind of code would a guy like Ramakrishna have where he’d be leaving sticky notes on a public bulletin board? 😁

If you've got questions, just ask; He isn't here for nothing 😉

And how do you know I don't have a gorgeous, blue-eyed, feminine unknown lying around?

Alright then, so I should wear it after all? 😁 Just making sure I don't offend anyone, obviously... 😁

I'd be too embarrassed to even show up to Ramakrishna like that... I mean, the man knew exactly how to avoid people... once his favorite student (who he basically treated as a spiritual son and was his "right hand" alongside Vivek) came to visit and he couldn't even touch him... turns out he found out the guy had accidentally eaten something weird that day. 😁

If I actually showed up, I probably couldn't even talk about the building... it’d probably collapse on its own 🤣

Well... personally, I’d even ask... but doing it over the phone feels super awkward... plus, I tend to dump my dilemmas on people way too often.. unless, of course, he were my guru 😁 Maybe I'll write that unknown if I can manage to pull it off without sounding like some petty provocateur 😁

But hey, who knows? We all know Samsung is the big player here 😳

unknown said:Alright then, so I guess I should bring it? 😁 Just making sure I don't take offense, obviously...

I’d be too embarrassed to show up to Ramakrishna looking like this... I mean, the guy knew better than anyone how to stay away from people... once his favorite student (he considered him a spiritual son and he was basically the "main guy" alongside Vivek) came to see him and he couldn't even touch him... after asking around, he found out the guy had accidentally eaten something specific that day. 😁

If I showed up like that, I probably couldn't even walk through the front door... the whole building would likely just collapse. 🤣

And honestly... I’d personally ask him about it... but doing that over the phone feels pretty stupid... plus, I have a habit of dumping my dilemmas on other people, even if it's annoying... unless, of course, he was my guru 😁 Maybe I'll write that unknown if I can pull it together without sounding like some careless provocateur 😁

I don't know, but we all know Samsung is the big player here. 😳

Just bring it, bring it. We all know us "spiritual types" are super sensitive. 😁

Besides, why would you be embarrassed in front of a guru? Who knows what kind of stuff he's already seen.

No saint has a perfectly clean past (and neither do we 😁 )

If you showed up, it means you want to change and grow, and he’d have to accept that.

Write the unknown—keep it short and sweet, and seal it with kisses and tears. 😁

And hey, if you have a connection in the sect, maybe it'll actually reach him.

So, you got a connection?

Well, do ya, punk? 😁

Sophia Jones61 said:Come on, bring it! We all know we "spiritual types" can be pretty sensitive 😁

Besides, why would you be embarrassed by the guru? Who knows what he's already seen through.

No saint has a perfectly clean past (and honestly, neither do we 😁 )

If you showed up here, it means you want to change and grow, and he’d have to accept that.

Just write him a note—keep it short and sweet—and seal it with kisses and tears 😁

And hey, if you have an inside connection in the sect, maybe it'll actually reach him.

So, you got a hookup?

Well, do ya, punk? 😁

R. was famous for being unable to stand "impurity" in people... or let's say, he couldn't even sleep once when Vivek, just as an experiment, tucked some cash under his bed without telling him (he always preached that he couldn't touch money). If any spiritually unawakened folks touched it, he'd feel physical pain and avoid it... well, unknown claimed that was just a "performance for the public." Even R. himself admitted that even as a sannyasin who is above it all, he had to strictly follow the dharmic rules of his ashram (like avoiding talking to women, any contact with money, etc.) to set an example.

Now, leave the tears and kisses to unknown 😁 😛 hmm, not sure about the "sweet" part... or the "short" part... 😁.. but I'll try my best to be good and brief... hmmm. 😬
How does that sound? 🤔

Connections, connections... in America, everything runs on connections.😁

What on earth is going on in Malibu...

Did some total hack decide to start posting recipes for enlightenment or something? 🙂

Karen Sanchez19 said:what kind of nonsense is this happening in Miami...

Is some total clown trying to hand out recipes for enlightenment or what? 🙂

Just slap yourself, you idiot—since you clearly weren't helpful enough to me...

boldsailor2 said:Just slap him, you jerk, since he didn't reach out to help me...

Since people are saying anyone insulting the guru deserves to lose their head, maybe you could at least give him a little footwear nudge. 🤣 😂

This whole thing just goes to show how impossible it is to make any progress without a guru. I mean, who else is going to rein in an uncontrolled ego like this? 😁

Ramana would never have said something like that. Everyone always saw him as an incredibly polite man—he wouldn't even call someone by their first name, which is a huge sign of respect in Indian culture—let alone insult someone's teacher.

But that’s the fundamental issue with Advaita. Even though Ramana himself taught that a guru is essential for those who haven't actually realized the Self (rather than just philosophizing about it), we see all these blown-up egos masquerading as enlightened beings. They try to claim realizations they are miles away from actually achieving, acting incredibly arrogant—something a true seeker would never do. It's like seeing people parading around in borrowed finery. Advaita is probably the most misused teaching in history because people use the concept of non-duality to justify all sorts of nonsense and distort the actual practice of jnana-yoga. It's one of the very things genuine seekers constantly warn against.

Anyway, why bother caring what fools say? The dogs bark, but the caravan keeps moving. 😁

boldsailor2 said:Just slap the idiot since I didn't hand him the opportunity myself...

There. Done. Are you satisfied now? 😁

I see you’re wielding your sense of moral superiority like an iron fist: what's next, starting a new cult?

Didn't even the concept of pure ego teach you that its presence is nothing more than an illusion? Calling it a facade shouldn't offend anyone. 😁

And just because you worship this persona doesn't give you any right to decide it isn't a total sham in my eyes.

And you're just an illusion anyway, so if things fall through, you won't even be able to hold a grudge 😁

Fine, let me make this even simpler for you:

Total garbage. Absolute trash. Complete nonsense.

😁

And let me be perfectly clear... when I see these outbursts of raw emotion, it isn't about whether I’m insulting you, boldsailor2, or some other guy like Swamidjija... but it seems the point still escapes you.

Frankly, I couldn't care less about Swamidjija, nor do I have any personal beef with him...😁

It doesn't matter if you're talking about some big-shot guru, a close friend, or just anyone else in my life... don't you dare disrespect my mother like that!!!

My bad!
(Paramatma is burning me up)

Godfather, Mano, I wouldn't even get worked up about it. Even though it’s super rude to insult people like this, it feels like he's just going through what our Uncle calls "acting out."

Basically, it's the habit of taking things that are supposed to be "sacred," special, or high-minded and dragging them down to the level of a cheap curse word—just as a way to release some lifelong mental baggage.

On the flip side, you have the process of a mental (religious) breakdown, so it's not necessarily all bad. (Think about those brainwashed ultra-religious fanatics out there. If they had actually cracked a joke or understood the humor in the Bible once in a while, they wouldn't be staring at church paintings where everyone is constantly suffering, bleeding, or crying).

Swamidji would probably respond just like his respected teacher: tell him to keep insulting us as much as he wants, and not to stop until he actually starts feeling better. 😉

Deep down, you know he doesn't actually mean anything malicious. It just bugs us because we have different experiences, but hey, he's allowed to be offensive. That's just how the world works.

It's just his own version of therapy, and for us, it's an opportunity to observe how we perceive our Teacher. A few curse words aren't going to break us, right? 😉

And Godfather, Karen Sanchez19, I'm asking nicely: please respect the sensitive feelings of Godfather Mano and FW instead of picking apart everything on the keyboard... 😁

...otherwise, we're going to have to shut him down and knock some sense into him. 😈

😁

There's my two cents. 😎