Mandrake

They do not. The rules that regulate the lives of ordained people state that you are not allowed to eat after noon. Before that you can have breakfast AND lunch. Regarding what you eat or not, that depends on the tradition. M

This is grossly wrong. M

Why is Dr Yannis Toussulis important? There are tons of people who migrate between all kinds of teachings. Some people join Daesh or suicide cults in the end. We are free to believe and follow whatever we want, and change our minds - for better or worse. Sometimes we don't understand what we are dealing with - or we believe we do when in reality we don't. The most important passage in your post is " I currently feel more inclined to ... teachings ... as they make more sense to me." Understanding is important, and insight is important, and you seem to be in a better place practice-wise now. Best of luck with your path! M

J*sus Christ.

How old are you? Is it all over the scalp or merely spots? Do you have baldness in your family? Brothers and the males, at what age did they begin to thin out? M

Shout out if you find out. I'd love to have it as a poster : )

@Taomeow Hey I love this one! Where is it from? M

This is as vague as it can get. Before any advice can be dispensed, what are your goals? What is your background? What are you going to practice and study, and why? In the spiritual traditions/sciences a reatreat is a specific thing, and not something that is improvised. But maybe what you are looking for is more of a break in order for you to allow for time to study, reflect, and deepen your general knowledge? M

This is not what the original Buddhist scriptures say. I assume you associate your conclusions with Buddhism as we are in this subforum. But in reality, these are just bad, mangled misinterpretations that came along with Buddhism's entry into the Western world in the 19-20th century, because people didn't understand the tenets well enough, nor were good translators. M

I'm sorry that you interpret it this way - which wasn't my intention at all. I've spent my fair shair of money on worthless stuff myself. But you're not the arbiter neither of my moral sentiment nor my compassion. And notice that I asked previously in a post above for the name of the providers to which you yourself didn't react, so I equally abstain. M

I had an entirely different experience during my own reading, and was told details that's not possible to find in anyway online. All of the esoteric sciences attract quacks because of immoral money hunters. But also, in the end one has to have the merit to find the great masters. The real feng shui is beyond mesmerizing and powerful, a master of astrology can tell you details about your life without even seeing you - and tell you what date you experience precise stuff - and so on. This is not something the ordinary ken has earned, and will ever find. M

@Nuralshamal Thanks a lot for sharing, and letting us know about both your thoughts before and after. May I ask, who were the providers? What's the name of the home page? If you're not comfortable sharing it publicly you're welcome to DM me. M

I went to the guy's website. That was enough - precisely because I don't "believe everything you read from the internet". Grand claims require grand evidence - especially so in these arts. Many of us have a firm grounding and even decades of practice in the systems this guy believe's he is a master in, and we see how his claims deviate and go counter to the techniques, lineages, and theory of these systems. It may be the case that he doesn't consciously try to delude others, but that he actually believes his own thoughts and image about himself. That's not the first time it happened on this planet. He may also teach things that makes sense and gives people experiences. That's not unique either. But it is not enough. M

J*sus, I thought I had seen it all but this has to constitute the most ridiculous thing I've seen. M

I think it could be a good idea in maybe in this thread or in the future to split away the philosophical side to a different thread as there are a lot of hard positions there that get people engaged. Barnaby's query is more interesting for me, and more prone to novel reflections. In the end I think Barnaby wanted input and advice from personal experience that would help in cultivation, and not any grandstanding in mouth-based moral systems. I would have responses in both categories but prefer to stay away as it is now.

I do both. It depends also on what's happening internally and what I'm trying to accomplish. If it's training samadhi, then every minute is training the mental factors needed. Just like lifting weights in the gym actually do stuff whether you're lifting for 15 minutes or one hours. If it is a process that is unfolding, then that takes precedence over any imposed time limit. M

Yes. Some specific practices pretty much require a diet high in animal fat and meat. In the end, you don't eat yourself into heaven. Eating grass and drinking water for a million years won't make you a Deva. M

Barnaby, Keeping this on a personal level and not a great general debate: In Buddhism, Sila functions to help you with your samadhi and prajna. In simple terms, do that which improves your meditational practice. Avoid that which disturbs it. What is that for you? Only you personally can answer that. Some of these things don't require complicated answers or debates because the effect of abstaining doing something is that you are relieved from the need to question your actions while on the meditation cushion. And that's it. No need to turn it into an ideology or preach it to anybody. Support your meditation with your lifestyle. Live in such a fashion so that you, Barnaby, carry peace and unbotheredness with you to your cushion. The injunctions and recommendations regarding food really vary according to shool and branch so I'd suggest you stay with what pertains to your practice. M

AAAAAAAaaAAAA! You found my nudes!! M

This term, " dark night of the soul’" is also something that has been hugely misunderstood. Originally found in a Christian contemplative scripture, where it described an inner experience that actually is positive, from what I remember, it is now used as a blanket New Age term for anything uncomfortable that a spiritually entitled person goes through just because s/he happens to meditate etc. M

Was discussed here years ago, like everything : ) Some of what he comes up with is quite idiosyncratic and I suspect the effect of the methods that he uses. It was years ago I read his book but something about how one continuously according to him will cycle through the 16 vipassana phases even after attaining arhatship seemed off to me. I've encountered too many lineages and practices and don't recognize this as universal at all. Though, I've seen the other end: specific practices result in unique and exclusive experiences, goals and sometimes permanent side-effects, moulding the psyche, body and personality for better and worse. M

@dmattwads That's a good question. I suggest you start a new topic for this. Under General would be good. M

As long as your friends weren't there to witness the shameful event!

Not to forget AYP, KAP, Neo-advaita, the whole stillness phase. Edit: Forgot the quote.

Double-post