Dealing with Feeling

[Sloppy Zhang]

All righty, so we've all heard the whole "no separation" bit and everything, which sounds nice in theory. All one and the same, blah blah blah.

 

Right, well, as a result of practices, I've started to feel that a bit more.... constantly? And it's kind of bothersome sometimes. Emptiness and stillness are all good, but then if a roommate is having a bad day, I suddenly start to feel his irritation. If I'm doing work, I start to feel how people are looking in my direction.

 

Maybe it's all in my head and going crazy, but it feels like lots of peoples' "presences" are with me, and sometimes I just want it to be just me, rather than worrying about all the crazy people around me. Makes me appreciate a solitary life in the mountains a bit more but that just aint feasible for me right now.

 

So, how to deal? Any good ways to isolate myself when I need to?

[Aetherous]

Practice breathing.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Practice breathing.

 

So how to get these people and these feelings "out"?

[Aetherous]

When your mind is focused on the physical sensation of the breath moving in the abdomen, the emotions can't disturb you. When the diaphragm is in free motion, the emotions can't get stuck in you. If you practice well, then you are more centered and grounded, so that even if you're not practicing, people and their energies don't affect you as much for some time.

 

It helps to have your palms down on your knees. Expand your abdomen in the front, sides and back, and keep the movement of the breath below the diaphragm...never in the chest.

 

But you can practice awareness of the breath all day in order to remain centered. It's all a matter of what you choose to focus on...your cultivation, or all of these erratic emotions.

 

This is just my view.

[Sloppy Zhang]

When your mind is focused on the physical sensation of the breath moving in the abdomen, the emotions can't disturb you. When the diaphragm is in free motion, the emotions can't get stuck in you. If you practice well, then you are more centered and grounded, so that even if you're not practicing, people and their energies don't affect you as much for some time.

 

It helps to have your palms down on your knees. Expand your abdomen in the front, sides and back, and keep the movement of the breath below the diaphragm...never in the chest.

 

But you can practice awareness of the breath all day in order to remain centered. It's all a matter of what you choose to focus on...your cultivation, or all of these erratic emotions.

 

This is just my view.

 

Tried that. Focus on the breath works. For a while.

 

Then you're like, "ahh, there we are...." and then... the feeling is still there! Well sometimes it's there. And then sometimes it isn't.

 

Sometimes relaxing, and trying to breathe, lets the feeling penetrate even deeper. Maybe it's an egoic thing. Maybe it's a fear. I dunno. But it's highly uncomfortable. It feels quite violating.

Edited October 8, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[Gauss]

[Astral_Anima]

All righty, so we've all heard the whole "no separation" bit and everything, which sounds nice in theory. All one and the same, blah blah blah.

 

Right, well, as a result of practices, I've started to feel that a bit more.... constantly? And it's kind of bothersome sometimes. Emptiness and stillness are all good, but then if a roommate is having a bad day, I suddenly start to feel his irritation. If I'm doing work, I start to feel how people are looking in my direction.

 

Maybe it's all in my head and going crazy, but it feels like lots of peoples' "presences" are with me, and sometimes I just want it to be just me, rather than worrying about all the crazy people around me. Makes me appreciate a solitary life in the mountains a bit more but that just aint feasible for me right now.

 

So, how to deal? Any good ways to isolate myself when I need to?

 

 

I've had a similar problem before, I used to consider myself an "empath" because of it. I'm afraid i'm not aware of your personal condition however I can share what worked for me and a plausible idea. What worked for me without knowing it was a heart opening that was followed by the involuntary practice of smiling. After the heart opening I felt great joy which made it easier to smile, and the more I smile now, the more "in touch" I am with the source of this joy. Try not to see yourself necessarily as "one with everyone" try to see yourself as divine, as "god", try to make a connection with the source that sustains all things. Once you are filled with love/source/god then that will be all that is there (in terms of influence). To be honest I believe THATS what links us all. Oneness is on a subtle level that is beyond mind and emotion (i believe), practice emptiness and mindlessness and that oneness will reveal itself. Abandon pursuit and everything will be yours

 

Another approach is one quoted in "Daoist Yoga-Alchemy and Immortality".

 

Before starting meditation it's important to relax the body and put an end to all rising thoughts. After sitting the body should be sense/feeling-less like a log and the mind unstirred. The eyes should look down and fix upon the tip of the nose; they should not be shut completely to avoid dullness and confusion; nor should they be wide open so to avoid the spirit wandering outside. They should be fixed on the tip of the nose with concentration on the spot between them; and in time the light of vitality will manifest. This is the best way to get rid of all thoughts at the start when preparing the elixir of immortality.

 

When the mind is settled, one should restrain the faculty of seeing, check that of hearing, touch the palate with the tip of the tongue and regulate the breathing through the nostrils. If the breathing is not regulated the one will be troubled by labored breaths or gasping. When breathing is well controlled then one will forget about the body and mind. thus stripped of feelings and passions one will look like a stupid man. The left leg should be placed outside and close to the right leg. The thumb of the left hand should be placed on the middle finger and the right hand should be placed under it (palm-up) with it's thumb wrapped around the left palm.

 

-Astral

 

Edit: It's important to note, when I say abandon pursuit, i simply mean don't PURSUE it, don't think about it all the time, don't obsess. Put your intention out there, but then let it go and allow the universe/god/source to do it's part.

Edited October 8, 2010 by Astral_Anima

[Sloppy Zhang]

Or you can do as one does it in Dafa. Just confront all bad stuff straight up and live through it without letting it affect your heart and mind, just keep your heart calm always. If one keeps an attitude of compassion and benevolence, always thinking about others first before taking any action, in one´s heart at all times, there will be less trouble with other people I find. You transform your environment for better instead of it interfering with you and your cultivation. Righteous thoughts must be strong.

 

Careful is a good word I find at my level. Careless is a very bad word.

 

I don't want to just "live through" the feeling. I want to resolve the feeling and move on with my life.

 

If I broke my leg, I wouldn't just find a way to "live through it", I wouldn't just swallow the pain and be like, "I can't let it affect me." I'd find a way to heal it, get better, and move on.

 

So how do I resolve the feelings?

Edited October 8, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[Jetsun]

Perhaps it's to do with healthy boundaries which meditation etc doesn't help much with, I suffer similar issues and go to psychotherapy to try develop healthy ego defences with healthy anger so that I feel capable to push away other peoples energy so it doesn't feel so threatening to me. Emptiness and non separation and all that is good at a certain level but the foundation stone of that path is developing a mature healthy ego with healthy defences, I don't know if this applies to you or not but if psychotherapy isn't your thing doing fire energy based exercises will help combined with grounding.

[Birch]

Take 2 MCO and call us in the morning :-)

 

No, I feel ya (no pun intended). The issue I think might be resonance with our own pain. So I guess it could be seen as an opportunity to compassionately heal oneself?

 

I will plug the homeopathy though and say that after I did it, this stuff isn't painful. I mean you feel it, but it doesn't hurt. Makes you in a far better position to help IMO.

 

The other thing I think is hard with this, um, "talent" is that you may be very mistaken about causes and conditions for the other person's "feelings". I've blurted out "Hey, are you XYZ?" a couple of times and was faced with stony denial. I suppose the other person doesn't want all their "stuff" out there just as much as you don't want to be picking it up.

 

Other techniques, reinforce your boundaries. Learn to leave very negative people alone, unless they explicitly ask you for help.

 

And of course the other "spiritual aspirin" - "don't attach". Although that might be easier said than done...

[Sloppy Zhang]

I've had a similar problem before, I used to consider myself an "empath" because of it. I'm afraid i'm not aware of your personal condition however I can share what worked for me and a plausible idea. What worked for me without knowing it was a heart opening that was followed by the involuntary practice of smiling. After the heart opening I felt great joy which made it easier to smile, and the more I smile now, the more "in touch" I am with the source of this joy. Try not to see yourself necessarily as "one with everyone" try to see yourself as divine, as "god", try to make a connection with the source that sustains all things. Once you are filled with love/source/god then that will be all that is there (in terms of influence). To be honest I believe THATS what links us all. Oneness is on a subtle level that is beyond mind and emotion (i believe), practice emptiness and mindlessness and that oneness will reveal itself. Abandon pursuit and everything will be yours

 

Another approach is one quoted in "Daoist Yoga-Alchemy and Immortality".

 

 

 

-Astral

 

Edit: It's important to note, when I say abandon pursuit, i simply mean don't PURSUE it, don't think about it all the time, don't obsess. Put your intention out there, but then let it go and allow the universe/god/source to do it's part.

 

Interesting thoughts and selection, but I'm mostly trying to deal with this stuff like, in real life, as it happens, rather than trying to work for 20 minutes as I close off my senses, regulate my breathing, and all that jazz.

 

Perhaps it's to do with healthy boundaries which meditation etc doesn't help much with, I suffer similar issues and go to psychotherapy to try develop healthy ego defences with healthy anger so that I feel capable to push away other peoples energy so it doesn't feel so threatening to me. Emptiness and non separation and all that is good at a certain level but the foundation stone of that path is developing a mature healthy ego with healthy defences, I don't know if this applies to you or not but if psychotherapy isn't your thing doing fire energy based exercises will help combined with grounding.

 

Not really into psychotherapy, and in general, fire practices have helped.... but that's only AFTER I feel like I've gotten everything "out". If there's something that's managed to work it's way "in", I can't feel like I can do any practice, because it feels like it's being sullied or constricted by that other person's, or my own thought of that person's, energy/feeling.

 

 

Take 2 MCO and call us in the morning :-)

 

No, I feel ya (no pun intended). The issue I think might be resonance with our own pain. So I guess it could be seen as an opportunity to compassionately heal oneself?

 

I will plug the homeopathy though and say that after I did it, this stuff isn't painful. I mean you feel it, but it doesn't hurt. Makes you in a far better position to help IMO.

 

The other thing I think is hard with this, um, "talent" is that you may be very mistaken about causes and conditions for the other person's "feelings". I've blurted out "Hey, are you XYZ?" a couple of times and was faced with stony denial. I suppose the other person doesn't want all their "stuff" out there just as much as you don't want to be picking it up.

 

Other techniques, reinforce your boundaries. Learn to leave very negative people alone, unless they explicitly ask you for help.

 

And of course the other "spiritual aspirin" - "don't attach". Although that might be easier said than done...

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

[hagar]

All righty, so we've all heard the whole "no separation" bit and everything, which sounds nice in theory. All one and the same, blah blah blah.

 

Right, well, as a result of practices, I've started to feel that a bit more.... constantly? And it's kind of bothersome sometimes. Emptiness and stillness are all good, but then if a roommate is having a bad day, I suddenly start to feel his irritation. If I'm doing work, I start to feel how people are looking in my direction.

 

Maybe it's all in my head and going crazy, but it feels like lots of peoples' "presences" are with me, and sometimes I just want it to be just me, rather than worrying about all the crazy people around me. Makes me appreciate a solitary life in the mountains a bit more but that just aint feasible for me right now.

 

So, how to deal? Any good ways to isolate myself when I need to?

 

To be honest. Why isolate yourself? If you've reached this state of sensitivity, why not roll with it? You know as well as I that there's no other.

 

If you have an issue with what you're taking in, instead of whatever "shielding" or "focusing" or other "doing" to avoid the present discomfort; resolve it within yourself. Transformation is not done within the confort of your own space.

 

There is an old zen proverb that whatever you are faced with in others you either reject, supress or disown in yourself.

 

Even if you choose to do whatever you should find effective to create your own "me-ness" again, which is fine, and I completely understand. When is the time to ask the million dollar question? Is this for me?

 

There's stuff you could do. But its like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic...

 

h

 

Later ed; if you're into deck chairs, (aren't we all) this might help;

Anti-sensitivity drug nr.1; heavy meals, often with meat, and risk-seeking activities.

Why; I only speak from experience, but they are both conducive to one thing that no energy work or meditation can do; numb your sensory experience. It also is a nice way to enjoy yourself on weekends, with friends.

Why does risk-taking produce numbness? When you pursue activities that overly activates the sympathic nervoussystem, and i.e the nor-adrenaline rush, all non-risk behaviour will dim in significance. The reptile-brain will define it as non-threatening compared to the risk activity, not making it important enough to allocate awareness into. Its wonderful. Like walking around with earplugs...

 

too much info?

Edited October 8, 2010 by hagar

[suninmyeyes]

Sloppy ,

Cant you rent a room all for yourself somehow?So you always have some comfort zone for yourself.

Its hard ,this things are a lot of work .

Everyone has their own "devils" you know.And none of them are pretty.

I think it is always good to keep goal in the mind-for example peacefulness and constantly look how to achieve it even while studiying or whatever else you may be doing.

And when you get irritated remind your self of your goal again.Thinking I dont want this,I want peace and learn how to plug yourself into that current.Like this ,all the time.It is possible you know ,not saying it is easy though.

 

From what I found out its about keeping focused and working all the time.Trying to stay sharp.

This kind of approach worked for me.

I know of someone who was in the similar position during student days and he used to meditate at night for hours when his roomate was asleep.As that was the only quiet time for much needed contemplation and recharging.

Edited October 8, 2010 by suninmyeyes

[LBDaoist]

Acceptance might help you. When you come to accept that we are all connected and that the connection includes awareness of both pleasant and not so pleasant feelings, your mind can begin to adapt. Whatever you try to resist will only grow stronger. Acknowledge what you feel, then turn your attention elsewhere if you do not want to be burdened. Reframe the annoyance into a heightened sense of awareness. Lastly, you can ask yourself what bothers you so much. For some reason you are giving power to the negativity that you are experiencing from others. Rather than making the conscious choice to accept, you are deciding to perceive it as a problem and an imposition. Figure out why.

[trailmaker]

Acceptance might help you. When you come to accept that we are all connected and that the connection includes awareness of both pleasant and not so pleasant feelings, your mind can begin to adapt. Whatever you try to resist will only grow stronger. Acknowledge what you feel, then turn your attention elsewhere if you do not want to be burdened. Reframe the annoyance into a heightened sense of awareness. Lastly, you can ask yourself what bothers you so much. For some reason you are giving power to the negativity that you are experiencing from others. Rather than making the conscious choice to accept, you are deciding to perceive it as a problem and an imposition. Figure out why.

 

Right - A thought - When I was your age I had read everything Jack Kerouac had put down for posterity, and

had started contemplating the Tao Te Ching - after about 20 more years met a teacher who showed me the way

to put all that together - fortunately I already knew still meditation techniques.

 

You're the teacher or else you're the student at any given moment...Everybody needs a teacher now and then...

[C T]

 

So, how to deal? Any good ways to isolate myself when I need to?

No need run to the mountains SZ.

 

The good news is, if you really understood the doctrine of Emptiness, the mountain will come to you. Better yet, you and mountain are already as one. This is not theory, and i know you are wise enough to know that its not. From a spiritual perspective, we can intuit that as we turn the mind inwards, we already are what we ideate... so, for example, if we want to be like a buddha, all we need to do is be brave enough to think, feel and act like one. It does not have to be buddha - can be any ideal that you cherish. But for convenience, since i am such a fan of the Buddha, i use that as example, if thats ok with you.

 

In Zen there is the idea that when one is sitting, one is no different from a buddha. Have you heard this before?

 

So where does the determined bravery come in? It comes in when we go outside into the real world, and face all these things that you have mentioned here. Of course its tough. Its tough because we dont want, or are not ready, to assume the responsibilities that come with being a buddha. We are not sensitized to that role yet, or perhaps, we choose, knowingly or unknowingly, to relinquish our warrior-heart, to surrender it under the smallest challenge, difficulty, problem, issue... you name it.

 

The spaciousness that we nurture during moments of clarity derived from formal practice can be our armor when we step out of our 'temple' (temple - could denote a physical sanctuary, sacred space, or our own mind) and into the real world. When beset by all these seemingly problematic situations, simply connect with those moments where you were feeling all the exhilaration during those moments of clarity. If they have happened before, or when you have tasted it before, you will always know what it is, right?

 

When things get tough, just reconnect with that spaciousness, and as Scotty said, breathe.

 

Personally, i go even further than breathing. I make a conscious effort to breathe in the discomfort of the situation, and because i am willing to do this, immediately i find there is no longer an object 'out there' where i can direct my blame, my insecurities, my lack, or whatever else i think could be wrong with the world outside. And then i breathe out whatever i think is worthy, good, wholesome, these great ideas i have of myself, consciously, to those whom i think are making my life miserable. I have seen that in this willingness to drive all blame into me, to meet the unpleasantness headlong, real and lasting transformation can take place. Over time, the fear goes away. It goes away by the simple fact that it no longer has a victim to latch on to. And we all know the only victim is that 'voodoo doll' we create of ourselves and then stick all these needles into it, and then blame the world for our own self-cherishing misery.

 

Hope this will create a little spark of understanding.

 

I am no scholar, so forgive me if certain things are not conveyed the way it should have been. (Guys like Blasto are always very particular about how others put their ideas into words, so i have begun to be quite self-conscious about this. If only he would learn to be more equanimous, his life would be all the more relaxed and even his troubling tooth might become less bothersome.)

 

No matter, i do hope you get the gist of what i am trying to get across to you.

 

Wishing all a peaceful weekend!

 

Sarva Mangalam!

[Sloppy Zhang]

Thanks everybody! There's a lot of good stuff in here, and if I responded to all of it, it'd be a really long post but there's a lot of good advice and words you've given me, so thank you everyone!

 

And of course, if anyone else has anything to add, please do!

[Mal]

Later ed; if you're into deck chairs, (aren't we all) this might help;

Anti-sensitivity drug nr.1; heavy meals, often with meat, and risk-seeking activities.

Why; I only speak from experience, but they are both conducive to one thing that no energy work or meditation can do; numb your sensory experience. It also is a nice way to enjoy yourself on weekends, with friends.

Why does risk-taking produce numbness? When you pursue activities that overly activates the sympathic nervoussystem, and i.e the nor-adrenaline rush, all non-risk behaviour will dim in significance. The reptile-brain will define it as non-threatening compared to the risk activity, not making it important enough to allocate awareness into. Its wonderful. Like walking around with earplugs...

 

too much info?

 

Were you thinking Skiing? 'cause I was thinking motorbike riding Nothing feels "alive" more than riding some twisties. Definitely no spare resources to waste on mind chatter, so it goes quite. Really a different mode of interacting with the world than everyday life.

 

Although in the old days of bandits and dangerous animals everyday life would have needed that mode more often than it does now in our "safe" society.

[taoistfist]

hey i don't kniow what you do for exercise if anything but that could help also. just moving around at a higher intensity than everyday experience. it can help clear things, it is so good to practice breathing etc. but you need to balance it with some movement. it can move more than just your body.

keep experimenting, and good luck.

[King Kabalabhati]

CowTao wrote: "Personally, i go even further than breathing. I make a conscious effort to breathe in the discomfort of the situation"

 

This is golden. I have 3 children and they really know how to transfer their frustration/boredom/adness/anger/you name it..

 

Instead of trying to block or side-step their emotion energy I nowadays often go for a different approach. When my boy is screaming on the floor for not being instantly allowed what he wants, I go straight into his mood and become one with it. This means I also feel what he is screaming like it was my own voice. I might repeat what he is saying in my mind like a mantra. It may sound like more effort but it actually feels better afterwards than trying to just "cope" with the stress his outburst is causing. It seems it's possible to take in the energy and transform it with the heart. Another good option is to put on a pair of ear protectors.

[effilang]

Sloppy,

 

I had the same problem as you untill several months ago. I deal with it very naturally now.

 

Whether someone is irritated, or angry or sad or shy or in pain, i've noticed that if you stay "Detached" you can reply to everything with unconditional love and sympathy.

 

Then the angry people aren't just angry, they are aggravated, they are irritated, they are escalated, they are in pain... and you automatically want to help, want to love, want to make them feel better; oddly enough even when they are being angry at you.

 

Two separate people women this week asked me, "are you this nice to everyone", "do you treat everyone like this", and when i replied yes, they became threathened and unapreciated because the "i am being nice to you because you are special" factor just flew out the window for them; and i do not have the vocabulary to express to such a person why giving love to everyone, whether you like them or not, whether they are bad or good, sad or happy is a GOOD thing, is a BETTER thing.

 

In the past year i've steadily learned to detach from that emotional spider web that would normaly grip at my heart and mind and make me a prisoner of my emotions, causing me heartbreak and pain and sorrow and sadness. The more i learn to let go, the more i become surprised by the capacity of my heart to love people, to go beneath the surface and i feel love and sympathy for them.

 

I am very sensitive when it comes to peoples vibes. Before when someone was mad or angry i'd become very aggitated, if someone was sad id become sad with them through my want to help, i'd share their pain. I would soak their energy in and share it with them, but now i realize all i had to do was what they were doing and give them a waterfall of love, give them an energetic love bath.

 

It is very weird, but i feel that love is like the 5th element when it comes to emotions. It can suck in everything else and dessolve it and transform it. I think you should always try to meet emotions with love. This is what i have learnt thus far. The more you love the less pain you feel, the more you can love and the more you can share and heal with your love.

 

Try opening your heart more Sloppy and the next time you encounter such a situation take it as an opportunity to exercise your unconditional love.

 

Chunyi Lin keeps writing about unconditional love and ive read it 100 times, but only untill recently did i understand what he means, and really there is no better way to describe this concept than with the words "unconditional lovë", his message truly is inspirational, if more people could understand it the world would be a better place.

 

Also Sloppy, i think a big factor in helping me reach this stage of transformation was having intimate relationships with women, but without sex. This really opened my eyes to the transformational power of love, now sex has dropped really far down on my list.

 

Haha i just felt my third eye go crazy when i wrote that last paragraph.

It was like yieeaah "10+ XP".

Edited October 9, 2010 by effilang

[C T]

CowTao wrote: "Personally, i go even further than breathing. I make a conscious effort to breathe in the discomfort of the situation"

 

This is golden. I have 3 children and they really know how to transfer their frustration/boredom/adness/anger/you name it..

 

Instead of trying to block or side-step their emotion energy I nowadays often go for a different approach. When my boy is screaming on the floor for not being instantly allowed what he wants, I go straight into his mood and become one with it. This means I also feel what he is screaming like it was my own voice. I might repeat what he is saying in my mind like a mantra. It may sound like more effort but it actually feels better afterwards than trying to just "cope" with the stress his outburst is causing. It seems it's possible to take in the energy and transform it with the heart. Another good option is to put on a pair of ear protectors.

Wonderful!

 

Ime, this is a most effective tool for transforming the mind.

 

Most times people are told to cope with things, to accept whatever happens without any judgements - while this is good, its even more powerful when we can take whatever is bugging us and absorb that into the heart. This of course is quite uncomfortable in the beginning, and goes against conventional feel-good advice and systems, but if one is truly a cultivator/alchemist, this is the pinnacle of learning how to work with inner transformation.

 

By willing to breathe in the agony/misery/blockage/afflictive emotions, the situation where the notion of me wanting something resolved immediately vs. that which prevents ME from resolving the issue is completely dismantled. Without any energy to drive the conflict further, the situation (that which is projected from the mind) will often resolve immediately. It just needs a bit of mindful awareness not to get caught up and carried away by the distractive and discursive forces of the mind winds. When we begin to feel off, agitated, when there is mindfulness of this, we can instantly breathe that in, and once this willingness to face any demon that crops up, and actually not be afraid to welcome them as they surface, they will no longer have any room to fester in, and over time, one can see that these little buggers do not even want to show themselves, since they no longer have any fear/negativity to feed off of.

 

There is a a very good teaching in some Mahayana schools where the intricacies of this radical approach to conflict resolution are thoroughly examined - Its called 'Lojong', or Atisha's Seven Point Mind Training.

 

Some notes here to further clarify: http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level3_lojong_material/general/working_emotions_deal_with_anger.html

http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1562

 

Youtube video:

 

 

Sarva Mangalam!

Edited October 9, 2010 by CowTao

[Gauss]

I don't want to just "live through" the feeling. I want to resolve the feeling and move on with my life.

 

If I broke my leg, I wouldn't just find a way to "live through it", I wouldn't just swallow the pain and be like, "I can't let it affect me." I'd find a way to heal it, get better, and move on.

 

So how do I resolve the feelings?

 

You have to take some mental pain to advance, that is key in all cultivation. What does a feeling count as in heaven?? Nothing. Get over it and eliminate those feelings. If you maange that you will get to a higher level and be much more comfortable.

 

Breaking your leg is a physical pain, something completely different than mental pain.

[hagar]

Were you thinking Skiing? 'cause I was thinking motorbike riding Nothing feels "alive" more than riding some twisties. Definitely no spare resources to waste on mind chatter, so it goes quite. Really a different mode of interacting with the world than everyday life.

 

Although in the old days of bandits and dangerous animals everyday life would have needed that mode more often than it does now in our "safe" society.

 

In my student days it was that, and climbing.

Tended to mellow out even the worst pre-exam anxiety. Its funny but I disagree abit regarding the "safe" thing. I think we're hardwired to define about 20% of our life situation as "problematic" or difficult, even risky. And I think a change of perspective is often in order. How many times haven't you heard a wealthy person complain about whatever his day is like. Its basically Parkinson's law; whatever time you have you fill with importance, nomatter how unsignificant it originally is.

[Gjeken]

Hi Sloppy, I had a similar problem earlier this year where i some days felt that other peoples "stuff" really dragged me down.

 

This book helped me a lot http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Quantum-Living-Joseph-Kinslow/dp/0984426418 it's called "The Secret of Quantum Living" and it teaches a really simple and effective method to rest in pure awarness. When you are in pure awareness all the negative influences melt away.