Birch

'New Age' of the type I'm referring to (and the bully-sorts I'm referring to) to me is well described in a link that I'd share if I weren't so concerned about it inflaming some other TTB's who I consider to be of the 'New Age' sort and who don't engage with me on that level. So while that might sound 'passive aggressive' - my intent in not sharing it is to avoid conflict with fellow members on a forum I generally appreciate being on:-) If you're interested, I can PM it. The offline ones are (soon to become a 'were' perhaps?) unfortunately quite close friends but the more recent thing has caused me to question whether it was really very friendly and to what extent I will be able to enjoy their company in the future. Perhaps on a very superficial level. I'm going to wait until those 'metabolic byproducts' disperse :-) I think I know what you're referring to, I call it the 'been dragged backwards through a hedge' feeling. It's linked to the adrenals from what I can figure of it. :-)

Could you post the link? Thank you:-)

Thanks Stosh:-) It is a good thread, isn't it? Actually, I'm looking for a definitive answer so I can stick it to some New Age bullies offline (the 'back story' on this story as I am presently struggling quite some with it and it is also causing me physical and emotional hurt, since it seems some people would rather tell someone who is expressing hurt that they can choose not to be hurt (rather than perhaps say, 'I really want you to not show hurt'), so that's like a double kick in the guts because as a relatively consistent meditator, I feel I AM doing what I can on this whole thing. Anyway, I did lose it the other day (offline) and I haven't entirely calmed down since. Maybe the sexy Sam Harris will help. I also picked up a few book titles on 'choice' and another one on 'gratitude' (more of the things that were shoved at me by these people).

Santi and Susan are great:-) I'll add my voice to the 'not all bliss' (and no bunnies) crowd. I recall a personal experience of almost actual death (not a panic attack, I've had those so can tell the difference) and I let it happen. My opinion on entities is probably best kept to myself but folks here tend to suggest self-work to help un stick the conditions that go with them.

Use the iching Not kidding:-)

I started listening to the first one (really nice voice and way of explaining things:-)) And then around halfway my connection conked. I need to download the mp3.

Maybe my dog in park post is still around. I was sitting on a bus and boom, a split second. Or maybe it's better my dog in the park post is no longer around:-) Belief ought not to come into it.

Most of the experiences I had around kundalini were of this type but had nothing to do with drugs. I was under full understanding (thanks to TTB's BTW) that it was kundalini related. Does that mean, actually, what does that mean? I suspect had I gone to a doctor, he would have given me some drugs, hahaha.

Thank you Chi force. I recall some Kabbalah diagram with HGS now.

Thank you for your heartfelt post!

It would be cool to have these all in one place. Maybe with tags for searching?

That was very interesting 3bob. I had understood that shamanistic cultures did consider animals to have selves of some kind, although perhaps more 'collective' selves than 'individual' selves like we (reckon?) we have.

"also writings such as this often lead folks into thinking all they have to do is meditate for a bit while keeping their same job, their same lifestyle, their same old habits, their same friends, and so forth" Could you speak more to this? Not that it's affecting me personally or anything;-)

Welcome to the TTB's!

Thank you JB, I thought (sic) it was something like that :-) I also want to suggest with some amount of dispute to the people suggesting it's 'easy' (which is what it looks like is being suggested with this 'merely' idea above - and this has also been suggested to me by non-meditators of a more New Age ilk:-)) that it's NOT easy, at least not IME easy. And I am swearing internally as I write:-) Hasn't been (unless you count the month or so of the discovery of 'meditation' at the start) and at this moment still isn't 'easy'. And it also looks like I have a 'thing' about the suggestion it is easy. Like I have a 'thing' about the 'positive thinking' movement:-) Or this notion that we choose our thoughts - for would that be entirely true without some amount of hard work (apparently) - What are so many of us taking years to accomplish (who said it may take lifetimes?!) ? Anyway, if this choice off the bat were the case, what do you (no 'you' in particular) think I'd choose off the bat? I'm assuming I'd choose 'nice' and 'helpful' things. So why is that not the case to begin with? I've been at this thing for a few years and it has been quite the difficult, painful (literally, but trying to explain how friction from thoughts is physically painful, well I'll leave that one for another day:-)) Now on the interaction with emotions. I agree totally that they do add fuel of sorts - in some cases this is generated intentionally (as in some practices), in many cases it is not. The neuroscience folks are getting around to discussing the interactions and I posted some stuff on polyvagal theory down in the OT. Anyway, my point on the 'mind only' part of this is that I don't think it tells the full story:-) --somewhat of a rant, not apologizing for it--

Don't have it where you live? I wonder if I can send some.

Lots of different times at the same time.

Thank you Taoiseasy - not at all derailing:-)

I noted I have 'control' (at this point) over the one 'after' the one I realised I didn't have control over!

Thank you Jeff:-) Not at all intruding:-)

Thank you Mr Cow. I am a poor sheepdog therefore. I think I should give up on meditation:-)

Well, not really. As far as I'm concerned. I'd say I'm around that point Hydrogen mentioned. Onions and whatnot:-) And as I was reading up on quantum physics this morning (sigh, this site leads to such strange places;-)) seems this 'particle' business should also be thrown out. That's old school. It's also why you can't explain quantum physics with references to particles.

Except it was Taoiseasy's expression. I disagreed politely with several points he suggested. Would you edit the quote label:-) ?

But you KNOW I don't understand quantum physics:-) ...so cruel...

I was very touched by your story of the bird Shanlung. It recalled a different moment to me.