Don't know where to go

[Prince hisoka]

Well, i am 15 years old , started to get interested in spiritual things one or two years ago. I first started reading books about alchemy all western i think, then shifted to meditation Chakra and William Bodri's teachings.

 

Last summer holiday i started to get to hardcore meditation, trapped myself inside my room and chanted/yoga'ed and everything, also i set myself a schedule to follow. But then when school started i got distracted by it, friends, and other mundane things. I eventually lost track last month, as i stopped meditating regularly, gave in to bad habits of thinking, and kinda don't feel pure anymore . Now i am trying to get back to how i used to be, i don't really get encouraged by anyone i know, as literally all of them have no clue of spiritual cultivation.

 

Only i know that my dad followed the same path but when he was in university, he used to read lots of books about Sufism, and Buddhism, that at one stage he had an experience of what he describes as 'enlightenment' then he wrote a poem then stopped being into any spiritual thing. It's not a coincidence that i do the same thing as my father without knowing anything about it. This is why i think i should carry on my cultivation to get desired results, i might have been reborn where i am to do this , i don't know.

 

so i am trying to find anything that is interesting to drag me back, so if you have any ways of tackling laziness or overwhelming struggles which distracts you, or any new exciting practices to do as i get excited over them ,i have a vague experience of following the breath meditation and did a few chakra visualizations and won't come back to them currently .

 

I read lots of articles here and know that this forum is full of bright cultivated people Any advice ? I sound confused i know

Edited December 20, 2009 by Prince hisoka

[lino]

Well, i am 15 years old , started to get interested in spiritual things one or two years ago. I first started reading books about alchemy all western i think, then shifted to meditation Chakra and William Bodri's teachings.

 

Last summer holiday i started to get to hardcore meditation, trapped myself inside my room and chanted/yoga'ed and everything, also i set myself a schedule to follow. But then when school started i got distracted by it, friends, and other mundane things. I eventually lost track last month, as i stopped meditating regularly, gave in to bad habits of thinking, and kinda don't feel pure anymore . Now i am trying to get back to how i used to be, i don't really get encouraged by anyone i know, as literally all of them have no clue of spiritual cultivation.

 

Only i know that my dad followed the same path but when he was in university, he used to read lots of books about Sufism, and Buddhism, that at one stage he had an experience of what he describes as 'enlightenment' then he wrote a poem then stopped being into any spiritual thing. It's not a coincidence that i do the same thing as my father without knowing anything about it. This is why i think i should carry on my cultivation to get desired results, i might have been reborn where i am to do this , i don't know.

 

so i am trying to find anything that is interesting to drag me back, so if you have any ways of tackling laziness or overwhelming struggles which distracts you, or any new exciting practices to do as i get excited over them ,i have a vague experience of following the breath meditation and did a few chakra visualizations and won't come back to them currently .

 

I read lots of articles here and know that this forum is full of bright cultivated people Any advice ? I sound confused i know

 

Bodri's material isn't sufficient so I suggest investigating Sutras and general Buddhist teachings. The sutras and general buddhist teachings is what allows small incremental gains. It also allows me to notice the small incremental gains. I'm also in the mundane but the mundane eventually gives way to the magical.

 

You aren't impure just because you got sidetracked. Don't kick yourself just because you had to stop for a little while. Just start anyway.

[zazaza]

15 years old, excellent age. congratulations for being so young...

i wish i was the same age. (i'm 25)

 

 

i suggest you make an effort now to

become aware the power of desireforpleasure and fearofpain have over you,

and that you take the power back.

 

nevermind too much the pleasures of the flesh and of the mind,

because they are unsatisfactory.

 

 

 

on the otherhand, it won't hurt to find a girlfriend,

have some sex and perhaps (in a few years???lol) experiment with some alcohol

so you at least know what the pleasures of the flesh are like.

 

ur brain's still developing a lot tho so be careful with the alcohol

becoz its not good for the brain, even when it is already "fully developed"...

is it ever?

 

so don't use it in too high doses and don't use it everyweek ...

i'm guessing if u felt the alcohol high around 20 to 30 times in your youth

that should suffice. the high of meditation is better for your mind and body.

maybe you don't need to experience the alcohol high ever... i dunno.

 

 

 

i suggest you also read the thread "Meditation driving me nuts"

at http://www.thetaobums.com/Meditation-drivi...uts-t12875.html

especially my post

Edited December 20, 2009 by zazaza

[Encephalon]

15 years old, excellent age. congratulations for being so young...

i wish i was the same age. (i'm 25)

i suggest you make an effort now to

become aware the power of desireforpleasure and fearofpain have over you,

and that you take the power back.

 

nevermind too much the pleasures of the flesh and of the mind,

because they are unsatisfactory.

on the otherhand, it won't hurt to find a girlfriend,

have some sex and perhaps (in a few years???lol) experiment with some alcohol

so you at least know what the pleasures of the flesh are like.

 

ur brain's still developing a lot tho so be careful with the alcohol

becoz its not good for the brain, even when it is already "fully developed"...

is it ever?

 

so don't use it in too high doses and don't use it everyweek ...

i'm guessing if u felt the alcohol high around 20 to 30 times in your youth

that should suffice. the high of meditation is better for your mind and body.

maybe you don't need to experience the alcohol high ever... i dunno.

i suggest you also read the thread "Meditation driving me nuts"

at http://www.thetaobums.com/Meditation-drivi...uts-t12875.html

especially my post

 

 

Sage advice for a teenager... go get hammered and screw your lights out! Sounds good to me!

[zazaza]

Sage advice for a teenager... go get hammered and screw your lights out! Sounds good to me!

not really.

it's not good to allow the demons get (too much) power over him

[Hyrdo]

lol i seem to be making a habit of this but I found these so personally helpful ima link em again...

 

http://www.nonduality.com/asmi.htm (thx again zazaza )

and

http://www.weiwuwei.8k.com/

 

Also as someone mentioned in another post not too long ago check out Alan Watts. Theres plenty of you tube videos of him aswell.

 

Maby youv already been familiar with all of the above but to be sure.

 

Dono really know what to say about zaza's and blasto's replies lol. I'm personally glad i tried weed and alcohol but definitely would'nt recommend getting as attached to them as i did.

[Prince hisoka]

Bodri's material isn't sufficient so I suggest investigating Sutras and general Buddhist teachings. The sutras and general buddhist teachings is what allows small incremental gains. It also allows me to notice the small incremental gains. I'm also in the mundane but the mundane eventually gives way to the magical.

 

You aren't impure just because you got sidetracked. Don't kick yourself just because you had to stop for a little while. Just start anyway.

 

I guess you're right, i noticed how Bodri's stuff was a bit too tight, but made sense that's why i followed it. I will take your adivice and research sutras, but do you recommend any specific ones to start with ?

Edited December 20, 2009 by Prince hisoka

[Prince hisoka]

lol i seem to be making a habit of this but I found these so personally helpful ima link em again...

 

http://www.nonduality.com/asmi.htm (thx again zazaza )

and

http://www.weiwuwei.8k.com/

 

Also as someone mentioned in another post not too long ago check out Alan Watts. Theres plenty of you tube videos of him aswell.

 

Maby youv already been familiar with all of the above but to be sure.

 

Dono really know what to say about zaza's and blasto's replies lol. I'm personally glad i tried weed and alcohol but definitely would'nt recommend getting as attached to them as i did.

 

Thanks for the links hyrdo, i find nonduality site very helpful !

[Marblehead]

Hi Prince hisoka,

 

It was so very long ago since I was 15 I don't think I can even relate.

 

However, ...

 

Don't forget to live and enjoy your youth.

 

Yes, girl friends are nice as long as you don't get them knocked up.

 

Stay away from the alcohol and drugs. They ain't no good for you.

 

Yes, rediscovery your path, or even find a new one. Doesn't matter really as long as you are at peace with your Self and you remember to live.

 

Did I mention that you should live and enjoy your youth?

 

Oh! And don't forget your schooling. It will be very important later.

 

Peace & Love!

 

(There. I sound like an old man, don't i?)

[Iskote]

...

so i am trying to find anything that is interesting to drag me back, so if you have any ways of tackling laziness or overwhelming struggles which distracts you, or any new exciting practices to do as i get excited over them ,i have a vague experience of following the breath meditation and did a few chakra visualizations and won't come back to them currently .

 

I read lots of articles here and know that this forum is full of bright cultivated people Any advice ? I sound confused i know

 

We all just have to go with what feels right and resonates with us. There is lots of info available

on the internet and in books these days, but keep in mind that just because something is written

down with an air of authority, it doesn't mean that what is written is good. Much information that

is out there is really nonsense, or could even be harmful. It is good to refer to some of the

more widely respected sources for guidance such as the Buddhist Sutras, or the Dao De Jing and

Zhuang Zi for the Taoist perspective, or the Hindu Scriptures, etc. Once you find something

that resonates with you, you can do further research into it. Yoga and the internal martial arts

have both a health side and a cultivation side to them, and attending classes can help one to start

building up more self discipline and motivation as well, as you have the encouragement of the

teacher and other class members.

 

It is good to just take it very slowly and not try to overdo things, so as not to overwhelm yourself.

You can always look into and try a few different things to see what resonates with you.

Regarding seeking advice in internet forums or anywhere else, it is always advisable to keep in mind

the story of the blind leading the blind. Many people are more than happy to lead anyone down the

garden path with them if you are foolish enough to follow. You've heard the expression that misery loves

company; well, so does does foolishness. Use your best discretion. If something doesn't seem right, or

doesn't seem to be taking you in a good direction, then you may want to do more research into it first or

just move on to something else. That's my take on it anyway.

Remember, slow and steady wins the race....

 

Best wishes...

 

P.S.

Some translations of Buddhist texts:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/index.htm

 

Some translations of Taoist texts:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/index.htm

 

Some translations of Hindu Texts:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm

Edited December 20, 2009 by Iskote

[bindo]

Here's a list of Alan Watts audio lectures.

 

http://diydharma.org/search/node/alan+watts

 

His books;

The Way of Zen

The Book...on the taboo against knowing who you are

The Wisdom of Insecurity

 

are quite good. I've read each one at least five times. Probably closer to ten times.

 

I live in the same area where Alan Watts lived, in Marin County. My ex-gf used to live in the same house that he lived in, (and died in) with a couple that were good friends with him.

 

Many moons ago, (almost 20 yrs ago) I spent a summer hanging around Mt. Tamalpais/Muir Woods (near Alan Watts' home), reading his books, smoking pot, and letting my hair grow long. It was great! It was what I needed at the time.

[C T]

I guess you're right, i noticed how Bodri's stuff was a bit too tight, but made sense that's why i followed it. I will take your adivice and research sutras, but do you recommend any specific ones to start with ?

The Heart of Wisdom Sutra - a commentary...

 

http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/heart...commentary.html

 

This one Sutra alone is enough to bring you to the other shore...

 

All the best.

 

 

 

PS - Heart Sutra chanting in Sanskrit - my fav version becos its got a nice tune too!

 

Edited December 20, 2009 by CowTao

[lino]

Edited December 20, 2009 by lino

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

 

Yes, girl friends are nice as long as you don't get them knocked up.

 

 

 

That one's important!! Read it again and again.... this is perhaps the one time where practice should exceed the results of the practice!

[Prince hisoka]

Thanks to all the compassionate people who posted here, your of a much help. Now i am listening to Alan Watts my first time to hear him.

[goldisheavy]

Well, i am 15 years old , started to get interested in spiritual things one or two years ago. I first started reading books about alchemy all western i think, then shifted to meditation Chakra and William Bodri's teachings.

 

Last summer holiday i started to get to hardcore meditation, trapped myself inside my room and chanted/yoga'ed and everything, also i set myself a schedule to follow. But then when school started i got distracted by it, friends, and other mundane things. I eventually lost track last month, as i stopped meditating regularly, gave in to bad habits of thinking, and kinda don't feel pure anymore . Now i am trying to get back to how i used to be, i don't really get encouraged by anyone i know, as literally all of them have no clue of spiritual cultivation.

 

Only i know that my dad followed the same path but when he was in university, he used to read lots of books about Sufism, and Buddhism, that at one stage he had an experience of what he describes as 'enlightenment' then he wrote a poem then stopped being into any spiritual thing. It's not a coincidence that i do the same thing as my father without knowing anything about it. This is why i think i should carry on my cultivation to get desired results, i might have been reborn where i am to do this , i don't know.

 

so i am trying to find anything that is interesting to drag me back, so if you have any ways of tackling laziness or overwhelming struggles which distracts you, or any new exciting practices to do as i get excited over them ,i have a vague experience of following the breath meditation and did a few chakra visualizations and won't come back to them currently .

 

I read lots of articles here and know that this forum is full of bright cultivated people Any advice ? I sound confused i know

 

You're still very young. You're fortunate to be aware of higher concerns so early in life. But at the same time, don't stress over it too much. If you stress over your spiritual progress, then spiritual progress defeats itself, doesn't it? Spiritual progress is supposed to reduce stress and not increase it.

 

I think your ideas about what is pure and what is impure are naive. I suggest you question all your assumptions from time to time.

 

Before you commit to a path, you should try to understand what it is you want in life. It would be silly to take a train to Florida if you want to end up in Ontario. This is why you should at least know the general direction you should travel in before you embark on a path. If you don't have an internal compass, it's possible that your path will become just another distraction and a detour.

 

But don't worry too much. Even a detour can be a good learning experience and a source of wisdom.

 

The easiest and most effective thing you can do right away, is to become mindful. Be mindful 24/7. Pay attention. You can still do whatever you are doing, just don't do it mindlessly. That's the easiest and most effective thing you can do, in my opinion. You can begin immediately, and all it takes is your firm resolve. You don't have to rearrange your furniture to begin and to continue paying attention.

 

Pay attention to how you feel. Pay attention to how you think. Pay attention to how others feel. Pay attention to how others think. Pay attention to everything. Don't be mindless. Do not be quick to assume things. Many things you currently take for granted as self-evident truths are false assumptions. Still, there is no need to freak out or to hurry too much. This is a marathon and not a sprint. Take your time and be thorough.

[voidisyinyang]

Study this book:

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=a_olqazEV...;q=&f=false

 

Watch this vid:

 

 

Take classes from this dude:

 

http://springforestqigong.com

 

Well, i am 15 years old , started to get interested in spiritual things one or two years ago. I first started reading books about alchemy all western i think, then shifted to meditation Chakra and William Bodri's teachings.

 

Last summer holiday i started to get to hardcore meditation, trapped myself inside my room and chanted/yoga'ed and everything, also i set myself a schedule to follow. But then when school started i got distracted by it, friends, and other mundane things. I eventually lost track last month, as i stopped meditating regularly, gave in to bad habits of thinking, and kinda don't feel pure anymore . Now i am trying to get back to how i used to be, i don't really get encouraged by anyone i know, as literally all of them have no clue of spiritual cultivation.

 

Only i know that my dad followed the same path but when he was in university, he used to read lots of books about Sufism, and Buddhism, that at one stage he had an experience of what he describes as 'enlightenment' then he wrote a poem then stopped being into any spiritual thing. It's not a coincidence that i do the same thing as my father without knowing anything about it. This is why i think i should carry on my cultivation to get desired results, i might have been reborn where i am to do this , i don't know.

 

so i am trying to find anything that is interesting to drag me back, so if you have any ways of tackling laziness or overwhelming struggles which distracts you, or any new exciting practices to do as i get excited over them ,i have a vague experience of following the breath meditation and did a few chakra visualizations and won't come back to them currently .

 

I read lots of articles here and know that this forum is full of bright cultivated people Any advice ? I sound confused i know

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Great advice!

[forestofclarity]

Prince Hisoka,

 

I would echo what most others are saying here. If you're ready to run off and become a monk, that's fine, but few people are. Even a few minutes a day can be helpful. I would recommend sitting every day, at the same time if possible. If you can only do 5 minutes, do that. It's better than nothing. But do it everyday.

 

So which way is the best? You need to find that for yourself. Experiment, try different things. The Buddha is said to have taught 10,000 medicines because everyone has a different affliction.

[Prince hisoka]

Prince Hisoka,

 

I would echo what most others are saying here. If you're ready to run off and become a monk, that's fine, but few people are. Even a few minutes a day can be helpful. I would recommend sitting every day, at the same time if possible. If you can only do 5 minutes, do that. It's better than nothing. But do it everyday.

 

So which way is the best? You need to find that for yourself. Experiment, try different things. The Buddha is said to have taught 10,000 medicines because everyone has a different affliction.

 

Yes i am experimenting with different techniques, zen meditation proves to be the most efficient so far.

[Dainin]

Hello young Prince,

 

In my view, some amount of regular practice is very important, more so than reading a lot of texts. You'll need to do some reading to expose yourself to theory and techniques. But give yourself a chance to do the practices that resonate with you over a period of some time. Don't jump from practice to practice constantly. Some of the texts people have suggested in this thread, while excellent, are extremely dense, not easy reads, and require significant amounts of time to study and absorb. At your age it is more important to focus on studying your school work, if you intend to pursue higher education and a professional career later on.

 

That being said, I'd recommend doing both a sitting meditation practice and a movement practice like qigong, tai chi or yoga. If you could do one in the morning and the other in evening for like 20 or 30 minutes, you'll be developing a good foundation. Don't let this stuff take over your life just yet...balance is important. If you can find some peers to practice with, that can be helpful too. You might want to check out the Advanced Yoga Practices web site (AYP) that has a systematic set of free lessons, written in clear, understandable language. Personally, I prefer zazen to the mantra meditation he recommends, but I find a lot of his other stuff very useful. Best of luck to you!