Ramm

In my understanding, it is incorrect to force yourself into the belief that everything is dukkha. Dukkha is dhamma (=is truth), but it's not a negative view of the world, and should not be accepted as a belief. It's much healthier to be honest with yourself about your own experience. We're all, to some extent, deluded into thinking some things are not dukkha, and that is ok, it is more honest than lying to yourself. The right view about dukkha should come naturally from direct experience. What you don't want to do is paint a view on top of the world. That distorts your perception, it's simply sañña. In the same way, wanting nibbana in the sense of cessation, before one has attained right view, is either a lie or comes from a negative view (like wanting to commit suicide to escape suffering). It's healthier then to view nibbana as the desire to extinguish suffering, which is a natural drive for all beings and we can all relate to at any stage. We all suffer or are more or less dissatisfied with some things, we all scratch when we have an itch, eat when we are hungry, drink when we are thirsty, we can understand that, even when we think we are generally happy we can still understand there is at least some dukkha, thus the desire to cease dukkha is an honest one and conducive to the practice. More generally, repeating what the Buddha said before one has the direct experience of it, is a roadblock. If you still think having sex is desirable, cool, accept it, that is honest, and that is the extent to which you have or have not seen the truth. You can work with that. My two cents

I'm no historian, but was kundalini even a thing back in the days of the Buddha? I doubt it (could be wrong), maybe someone can provide some facts regarding that?

Hi soaring crane, and thanks for the welcome. I already read those posts when I subscribed and wondered why I couldn't post anywhere haha

Ok, I think a little introduction is due. I've been interested.. err I mean obsessing about different spiritual paths and practices ever since I was a kid. These include daoism, buddhism, martial arts, meditation, magic, and a long list of other things. After many years I felt I was stagnating because I never had a real teacher and I lacked a strong basis, so I found myself a teacher. I feel I'm doing much better, and much more at peace. I've mostly settled down on buddhism and tai chi chuan, and trying to be less dispersive in my efforts. Anyway, nice meeting you all.