Just feeling empty...

deni said:... There is another type of person out there (I believe Calvin’s friend belongs to this group, and I actually tried to explain his perspective because I relate to it personally). For these people, having a specific desire or goal feels suffocating. It creates an internal tension that leaves them feeling unsatisfied, even after they achieve what they wanted. They operate much better when they are spontaneous. That way, they can accept any situation—good or bad—and it gives them a sense of FREEDOM. Having fixed desires just makes them neurotic. They feel trapped when their entire world has to revolve around one thing; it prevents them from breathing, thinking, and experiencing life naturally. When that happens, their spontaneity vanishes. ...

An excellent description—witch V. 😉

V.

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I think I just realized some things here that are gonna flip my whole life upside down.

"The truth hit me, and it wasn't pretty."

Thanks, you guys.

Callista said:HIM: I don't want anything anymore...
ME: And why is that?
HIM: Because everything I ever wanted, and everything I used to be, is gone...
ME: So you think you'll never run into something you actually want again?
HIM: No.
ME: How can you be so sure about that?
HIM: Because I'm not who I was, and people aren't really people anymore—they're just shadows of what they used to be. Don't you see what they're capable of? Even the most vicious animals wouldn't dream of doing the things people do. Right now, I'm just breathing. Honestly, it's only now, since I stopped wanting things, that I finally feel happy.
ME: How does something like that actually make you happy?
HIM: It's simple. I have no expectations, no hopes, no fears, and no illusions. I've cut out all those messy emotions that cause everyone else so much misery. A person without desires is truly free. People are their own jailers, enslaving themselves and everyone else through their own weaknesses, even when they don't mean to.

smart and sensitive guy🙂 It's a shame that for some people, reaching this kind of realization is such a depressing thing...
he became a Buddhist🙂

Being a Buddhist behind a desk, at a keyboard, or in an astronaut suit... what's the deal?

So here it is:
I’m wondering—and I want to hear what you guys think;
just because something exists, doesn't mean it actually works, right?
[Unless you count dysfunction as a type of function, I guess]

Basically, is there any real link between existing and functioning? If so, how deep does it go?
If not, are they mutually exclusive?

To put it simply: for me, there's a massive difference between
being a Buddhist versus actually living the lifestyle. It's not the same thing... do you get what I'm saying?

Between my own late-night spiraling and zero sleep, I'm feeling a bit unhinged right now—but I've landed on this weird realization: just existing isn't the same as functioning.

Real-world example: legs naturally speaking exist, but not all legs actually walk, even though they're there.

I won't start listing examples using abstract concepts like love or freedom, otherwise I'll just totally screw myself over.

My bad if I'm rambling too much.
OVERLOAD.

🙂

Later!👋

Look, maybe I’m just wired like a typical guy, but I’m having a hard time following your "feminine" perspective here 😁—it feels like the way I'm reading your posts, you're completely missing the point I'm trying to make...

Whatever, though. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you think, as long as you're thinking 🙂

Look, I just don't have expectations, hopes, fears, or illusions. None of those messy emotions that make people suffer. Honestly, you're only truly free when you stop wanting things. People end up being their own jailers, and because of their own weaknesses, they drag everyone else down with them—even when they don't mean to.

So what’s left? Just going through the motions?
I’ve got no expectations, no hopes, no fears, no illusions... none of those heavy emotions that cause all the heartache. Well, until one day someone hits a nerve I thought was dead and gone. And suffering? Man, after everything felt empty, that pain actually felt like a treasure once I realized what it meant. If you drain yourself of all emotion, even the painful stuff, you’re just left idling. And that’s just a different kind of misery, isn't it?

Surrendering your desires to Quincy is still an emotion, right? It takes "discipline"... which means there's still desire involved. That totally detached state is super rare; those people are a special breed... basically saints.

A person without any desires (not even the subconscious ones) only exists because they haven't fully faced their true self yet. They don't realize how much they're still hiding from themselves. Whether they ever figure it out or not? That’s not entirely up to them...

desire vs. attachment---------------------independence

Living without rigid demands or heavy expectations means you can finally just flow with the current of life (total flexibility). It’s about embracing whatever comes your way and actually learning from the experience rather than fighting it.

But here's a thought: if someone reaches a point where they truly stop wanting things, does that mean they've essentially checked out of life on this earth????

well.. I already told you above! you're breaking out of the karmic cycle.. and.. you're falling from the ground! 😁 😁

Well, that’s actually a win!

But how can we ever be certain we aren't missing something else? We can try to be mindful about our desires, sure, but who really knows what’s lurking deep down in the subconscious?

carica said:Does being a Buddhist depend on living in the city, sitting behind a keyboard, or wearing an astronaut suit?

No, there is no requirement to be Buddhist...

One can also be a boldsailor32. Whether in a concrete jungle, at a computer, or in a space suit.

The mind defines a boldsailor32, not the surroundings or the uniform.

V. 🙂

jimmy said:..and.. you're falling off the planet! 😁 😁

Sounds good to me. 🙂

I remember lying there once, just staring up at the night sky—basically had the ground right behind my back.
Suddenly, it felt like I was just plummeting off the USA and straight toward the stars.

I know that's not really how it works, but whatever, I remembered it. 🙂

Solaris said:but how can you ever really be sure you aren't missing something? I mean—sure, we can try to think our way through it consciously, but who actually knows what kind of junk is buried deep in the subconscious?

Honestly, that whole obsession with feeling certain? It’s kind of a trap. 😉

Solaris said:Well, that sounds good!

But how can you be sure you don't want anything else? We can only think we know that consciously... but who knows what's lurking in the subconscious?

Solaris 🙂 🙂 I see you're trying to find a direction with these questions. It works for me. Just keep going.

When you have no desires, you just know. You don't even feel the need to tell anyone. And once you know that, you start seeing everything else clearly. That kind of knowledge comes from within. See, there's a difference between desires being a way to cling to external things at a lower level of consciousness, and then there's an action performed on a much higher, broader plane... if you know what I mean. You have to reach that level first. Once you truly have no more desires, then you really know. Because then, you're enlightened.

Not sure if you've read the Beat Generation by Jack Kerouac. Just finished it myself. It deals heavily with desire and the Buddha—that sense of feeling Unity within yourself. Highly recommend it. A warm book, full of reflections on human longing and prayers for all living beings through meditation and nature... huh.

shadowgardener12 is exactly what I'm looking for 🙂 👍

thanks for the book recommendation 🙂

haha yeah, look, it isn't some heavy-handed spiritual manifesto or anything typical like that,
and that’s exactly why it works. The guy who wrote it was just... different. Back in the 50s, he was diving deep into Buddhist concepts, trying to wrap his head around them and make them make sense. But honestly, he had already found his own clarity. The greatest.👍

Solaris said:That sounds ideal.

But how can one be certain they've truly exhausted all desires? We can only claim awareness through conscious thought, yet who knows what remains buried in the subconscious?

It isn't much of a dilemma... you monitor your own actions, dissect the motives driving them, and eventually... a hundred different desires surface into the light of consciousness.🙂

o Pandora, it's good to read your thoughts... 🙂

but most people find it incredibly uncomfortable to even ask themselves the hard questions. It means going against their own ego, or facing those toxic energies that hurt them—realizing what’s actually there. And let's face it, nothing stays hidden inside us without a reason 😉
what I mean is, nobody wants to confront their own dark side unless they're forced to. That's where the pain comes in, acting as that constant, driving force...

jimmy said:Rachel Bishop, it’s flattering to have my words quoted... 🙂

But most people find it incredibly difficult to even ask the questions. It requires going against their own interests, or against those toxic forces hurting them that they might finally realize exist. What stays hidden within us doesn't stay buried without a reason. 😉
I mean, nobody wants to face their own shadow unless they're forced to—that's where the inevitable, all-consuming pain steps in.

Glad you find my words worth reading.🙂
Facing oneself is painful, certainly. But the reality is we can't run from ourselves, no matter how far we go. Eventually, you just get exhausted from the flight and the weight of what you're carrying. One has to wonder which is actually harder.🙂

Katelyn said:I suppose one could argue that someone lacking any sort of roadmap... is simply existing.

But how exactly does such a person manage to pay the bills?

goldenhound32 said:How does he make a living?

Maybe as a... Traveling Juggler???

V. 😉