futuredaze

Lately I have been lifting a few times a week. I've been following this website, just trying to target different muscles and going for variety. I'm not really aiming for being a powerlifter, or anything competitive, but just lifting to increase my overall health and well-being. https://musclewiki.org/Main_Page Surprisingly, after getting into Tai Chi and then getting back into weights made me love weightlifting. Before I felt quite awkward and probably was not doing the best form. Incorporating breath and body-awareness into weightlifting makes it very meditative and fun. These two things really seem to compliment one-another (people say the same thing with yoga and weights, too).

IMO part of the reason people are so tolerant is because we are so heady - quick to rationalize, intellectualize, everything. So something happens, say an attack by a radical Islamist. At first we can think, well maybe they were just unstable (partially true, but it is mental health + ideology) or rationalize how "well, statistically things are better now." Then it keeps happening, we notice patterns, but still use intellectualization to justify our belief. Beliefs are often conditioned by media, by consensus and herd mentality, and by traditions or family. Eventually, though, things sometimes hit us hard. Once peoples' more primal emotional centers started to get triggered (e.g. the amygdala), their rationalizations become less important than basic emotions. In fact, this intensification in emotion often leads to a creation of new belief systems and values. Either that, or the intense emotions simply re-enforce current beliefs, perhaps even make them stronger. As people get more and more pissed off, they will get more emotional and reactionary. However this is not a bad thing, since IMO it can lead to new beliefs and new ways of thinking. The challenge is getting people to bounce back from emotionalism and to act from a stoic place of rationality and equanimity. The sad thing is the powers at be, using the media, seem to know this too. They are trying to re-shape belief by triggering emotions and controlling narrative. The whole BLM thing comes to mind, which could have been a legitimate movement but became violent because the media depicts cops as racists, even though very few are statistically. Intense emotions seems to rupture the psyche so new ideas can be suggested and implanted, for better or worse. As new media begins to replace old media, people will trust mainstream news less and less. There is a war going on now, but the battlefield more based in ideas and belief systems -- it is a cultural war.

Like anything else, a happy middle is important. I am tolerant, but not of intolerance. My mind is open, but not open enough so any junk can fall into it. I don't try to be perfect, I try to find balance and act naturally.

I've been agnostic for many years, I think it is a mystery until it happens. I have had several experiences and intuitive revelations which have given me some suggestions on what comes after. It is still not 100% clear, but it basically involves shifting into a totally different reality based on past karma and our own skill of being aware and navigating reality. Like many sages and shaman have said: life and death are one, and living helps us prepare for dying. I still like to keep my agnosticism just so I don't become dogmatic and preachy. Now that would be boring! I like to be open to receiving new information which forces me to re-evaluate my beliefs.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to suggest Trump could magically fix this. There are concerns I have about Trump. I think that while, on one hand, he is addressing legitimate problems, he is addressing them in inflammatory rhetoric. Some people like this, but it offends a lot of people. It would do him good to try to filter himself better. Some main issues Trump brings up (unfair trades, illegals from Mexico, and Islamic terrorism) are legitimate concerns. However, he is addressing them in a way that I could say is a bit childish or even troll-like. This is unfortunate because it makes it harder to have a rational dialogue about these matters. The thing is, Hillary just seems more like a war-hawk based on her record. Trump has said meaner stuff than Hillary, but Hillary has DONE worse stuff. I go by actions more than words, but Hillary's words don't mean shit either.

I've heard about "white genocide," "black genocide." IMO the elite want to "control population" in order to be "sustainable." They don't seem to care too much about race, it is more about being in the Rich Douchebag club. In Cultural Marxism, everyone is divided, not just the rich and poor. Men and women, people of different "races," ("race" relations have gotten worse in the last few years), gays and straights, Christians and non-Christians, etc. etc. People need to unite and realize the enemy isn't the opposing pawns on the chess board, but those who built and are playing the chess board off-seas, in shadowy mansions.

Walls work. Sure, some people will get around it, but it will make it much harder to do so. The wall in Hungary has worked well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_border_barrier - statistics here as well

Take a class, be persistent. Try to practice multiple times a week at least if not once per day. For me, it took a few weeks up to a month before I started really "getting it." If you have options, really look around for the best instructor. Videos and books may work for some, but I find that videos and books can only supplement a practice that starts with personal instructions in a good Tai Chi or Qigong class.

LOL getting endorsed by those guys is like getting endorsed by Charles Manson -- it will hurt you more than help you.

I agree with you there. However, IMO, Clinton poses a bigger risk. As I said, she is after Iran, she is funded corporations/bankers who are no doubt affiliated with the military industrial complex. You are welcome to your opinions, but I don't think the Democrat is the more peaceful candidate this time around. So, do you trust the person who is part of a team who, for the last 16 years or more, have been destabilizing the Middle East for economic purposes, which is creating a lot of terrorism and unrest in the EU and elsewhere. Or, do you go with the guy who seems to be focused not on obtaining oil, but ending ISIS, who are not only extremely fucked up, but being supported by the current administration (and likely the future one as well)? Like I said, Trump is a wildcard. I have my reservations for him. but Clinton legitimately scares me. I see WW3 breaking out with her, compared to Trump with a war on ISIS. I am not a political expert, but I consider myself open-minded and trust my intuition. My greatest fear of Trump has nothing to do with Trump himself, but the dangerous way the media portrays him which leads people to want to kill/hurt Trump or Trump supporters. I was reading about a black conservative who was a vocal Trump supporter, who is facing death threats after a video of him supporting Trump went viral (he also schooled a BLM supporter who was very dumb)

If the Democrats really want to win, they should nominate Sanders. More people like him than Clinton, and the public opinion on her is just going down, down, down. If they nominate Clinton, and Trump ends up winning, then the rigid rigged-ness of the DNC will be partially responsible for the rise of Trump. That would be ironic, like if Wall Street funded Hitler or something. Oh wait....

He definitely wants to wreck havoc on ISIS. Besides that, is banning illegals and having more rigorous screening for Muslims really that outrageous? Even if you don't agree, is it not hard to understand why people want a wall or more secure borders? I am liberal in some ways but I agree with Trump here. I think relations with Mexico would be a bit cold, but I doubt things would get violent. I could see a trade war with China, as others mentioned. However, I get the impression that Trump will not be the only one working these trades, he will have a team and they will really think before acting (unlike Trump who just speaks his mind without really thinking). Clinton scares me. With her, there is a chance of war with Iran, conflict with Russia. Some say she is as war-hawk as Bush. Clinton is satan, Trump is a wildcard. I only agree with Trump sometimes, but at least I know where he stands. Clinton will lie about everything, so I don't even know where she stands. That is dangerous.

Seeing people freak out about Brexit on social media is interesting. A lot of these people don't even live in the UK, or even Europe, but still like to voice their opinions/echo media propaganda. While I think John Oliver can be funny, he is clearly biased and people shouldn't take his word as gospel. In the U.S., I always knew the media was biased, but it seems now they are either more biased or not trying to hide is as much. Either way, it is making a lot of people freak out over things like Brexit and Trump. Whether or not people support Brexit or not, support Trump or not, I think any person who can think logically and clearly can deduce the media is not only exaggerating the potential negatives, but doing so to ensue the status quo. It is now more obvious than ever who is just blindly following media and who are challenging it. The media is like "the boy who cried wolf" -- it has lied so much, now people don't trust it even if they were to show something true. A lot of people are complaining about old people having a big impact on the exit vote. I've never realized how fucking idiotic and disrespectful a lot of folks in the younger generation are (especially the left, in this case). They act like these people have less of a voice, just because they won't be alive for a long time. The older folks are the only ones who experienced a pre-EU UK, so I think they have more perspective. Not only that, but they have children/grandchildren and they are voting for them just as much as their self. Democracy and the "me generation" do not seem to go well together, since the younger generation acts so spoiled and is only for free speech if people agree with you. If not, they will use some generalized insult like "racist" or "bigot" while running to their safe spaces.

Hi, I was wondering how I would go about getting a personal practice form. I think it would help motivate me to practice taiji and meditation if I could journal about it. Should I just PM a moderator about it or what? Thank you !

Where are these pictures from? It looks very nice there

I don't understand, so you already have an idea who your master will be? Is it someone you ever met before? IMO, life on the road is just as potent as any lessons or insights I have ever had with one person. Granted, I have never had a "guru" or "master" -- but I have met loads of people, some my age, some my parents or grandparents age, some of which very wise people. You can get a lot out of talking to people, not so much that they will answer or solve anything for you, but just that it is nice to feel connection and to learn from other people's life stories. Yet for me it is the transience, the dynamic nature of travel, that can be a powerful teacher by putting us in different situations, some of which can be very challenging. You might spend a week in a busy city, living with a bunch of people who are getting wasted in dorms, and then spend the next week in the wilderness doing a meditation retreat. It chagnes fast. In some ways, it is similar to meditation/psychedelics in that it can trigger some altered states of consciousness.

While you will probably be fine, it is a good idea to have a back-up/return plan just in case things don't go so great there or you just don't like it. Especially if you have not traveled much before. Some people expect to like travel a lot, but end up not really liking it, or vice versa -- it is hard to know until you have been doing it for a little bit. Just a warning though, travel brings out extreme feelings. I've felt the most ecstatic moments of bliss, powerful insights... and then also some crazy low moments of depression, anxiety, self-hatred, etc. If you already feel "extreme," travel will likely be even more that way. Especially with solo travel, for all that time to be alone with our selves. What are you looking for in a master? I am curious. Also, where do you think you will go to look for one once you arrive?

Tao encompasses mind and body, so to align with Tao via mind is helpful, as is aligning with Tao via the body. Now, if one can do both - even more power to them! I would hesitate to say one is "better" or "more essential" than the other, though. I know some Taiji teachers who say "one must do Taiji before they can understand philosophy" - - but I do not agree with that. And then others might suggest that having a philosophical framework will help them with the meditation practices. Either way, they both re-enforce each other with synergetic benefits. I definitely found Taiji and Qigong can effect my meditation in a positive way like nothing else.

Shopping at the markets is a pretty cool, interesting experience. It can really challenging to try to bargain with someone while barely speaking their language... and then you feel good when you get a good price on something. Not only that, but it is nice to support local economies and the clothes IMO is cool looking and often fits better than western clothes. Sure it can be considered "touristy" but I don't think that should stop anybody from experiencing another place and culture. To "bring an end to confusion," I would definitely recommend time in nature, which would make a tent very useful. I don't think you need to go all the way to SE Asia, although it may definitely help. Just to spend time in nature wherever we go, in solitude, can really help clear things up. I don't know if confusion ever ends, even for enlightened beings... but I would not know as I am not one. When I travelled, I often wondered "am I running away from something or am I running towards something?" It could be quite confusing, but ultimately I realized I am running towards being present, seeing myself and reality clearly, and running away from illusion, living in untruth and habitual thinking and patterns. Travel was just a tool in this greater quest, but a powerful tool indeed. I am still confused, flawed, etc. -- but travel did help me have a bit more patience, and faith in the cosmos (which is faith in All that Is, quite useful for a former skeptic and pessimist). Obviously, your experience will be unique but I have a good feeling it will be helpful. Travel is something I'd always recommend to people, if they have the time and some degree of mental/emotional stability, that is. Are you getting a one-way ticket or one with a return flight?

Whats your lifestyle like? If you enjoy camping out, being out in the woods, or just really want to save money, a tent might be a smart thing to bring. It will be a bit annoying carrying around, but if you use it fairly often it is worth it. Lots of travelers in Central America (I was just there the past few months) had tablets, which seem like a good cross between a laptop and phone, easy to travel with, but a big enough screen. Using a cell phone to type emails is pretty annoying, but it works. I enjoyed taking a break from the computer, though. I was able to use Skype with my phone in wifi spots- it is quite cheap and not that bad service. I was surprised how well it worked. A multi-use tool is always helpful. If it is sunny, definitely get sun block... I wish I used more sunblock in Central America. Also, I found it useful to get some travel bags to keep certain things (toiletries, tools, etc.) together. Might be a good idea not to bring much clothes since you can find really cheap, awesome clothes there that you will probably want to buy anyway. Stuff you can't find at home. I loved the colorful clothes in Guatemala and wish I had more space to bring home more. Happy travels! I am thinking of doing SEA sometime... let us know how it goes ^_^

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A lot of long-term relationships are set into motion before sex, even before the woman sees the man's genitals a lot of time. I think if penis-size was such an issue, it would make girls more wanting to see the male's penis before engaging a relationship with them. Once someone loves you, those things are not important. Well, maybe if you had a third testicle or a blue penis or something... that might be a bit... weird. In my opinion, the issue is more with your mind/beliefs than anything physical. I have felt insecurities about my body (not really the penis though), so I can relate on some level. These insecurities arose in my mind, however, and not my body. With enough anxiety, obsession, and focus on the body, even the most beautiful people can find themselves ugly or flawed. I'm sure you know some people are very good looking but still consider themselves ugly, fat, or physically flawed in some way. It seems crazy to us that people like this can think they are ugly, but perhaps it is just as crazy to consider ourselves ugly.

two pics from my recently travels to Guatemala & Mexico: (Semuc Champey, Guatemala) (Tulum, Mexico)

I feel frustrations too, but for different reasons. Unless I am totally ignorant, I do not believe any women I was with cheated on me. The problems for me is how the people I have dated and been in relationships with seem to, often, be very unstable and fickle. Often they are superficial too, but that is one thing I can usually filter out. Being fickle is harder to detect, if a girl seems to be in love with me one day, then indifferent or even hating me the next day, it is very confusing and painful. I am not sure if there is something about me that brings this out in women, or if for some reason I just end up with women like this. Of course it is nice to get treated like a god one day, but then to get treated like shit the next day makes it all seem false. Id rather just get treated simply, like a human, all the time. I like to believe in future prospects, but I am also preparing to live in solitude just in case. I dont like the ultimate highs and lows, I basically just want a close friend with physical benefits. I really dont stay close with women after breaking up, and I have no close female friends, but I would like to have some. It does not seem like much to ask for but I have yet to find it... Maybe one day

Good resource for tips to decalcify the pineal gland http://decalcifypinealgland.com/how-to-decalcify-the-pineal-gland/