Greetings all

[MysticNinjaSage]

I was directed here to witness the awesomeness I'm a seeker of enlightenment, have passed through awakening, purgatory, and have had 3 illumination experiences but have since been unable to maintain or return to it. Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've also begun neigong training in hopes that it will assist the path of returning to infinity and the virtues and purity.

 

Thanks for having me and I look forward to learning from you all.

[ilumairen]

Hi MysticNinjaSage,

 

Your membership is approved. Welcome to the bums. The difference between (passing) experiences of awakening and enlightenment have been mentioned more than a few times here, and should be easy enough to find using the search function of the site. You are also welcome to start new threads.

 

 I find myself personally curious how you are using the word purgatory, and wonder if it is similar to what is sometimes referred to as “dark night of the soul.”
 

warm regards,

ilu

 

P.S. There are three topics pinned at the top in this sub forum regarding expectations and rules here, please make sure you are familiar with them.

 

[MysticNinjaSage]

I had some visions when I was 6-10 years old about a levitating, meditating mystic in a mountainous, snowy area in front of a pond or small body of water, wearing blue garb and a blue veil and white hair down to his back. I could feel his power, intelligence, serenity, etc and that influenced my outlook on the world right from the start. I'd never heard about or seen meditation or spirituality but presidents and warriors seemed to pale in comparison so I decided to become like this being and followed my intuition on how to get there.

 

Eventually I had the awakening experience at around 18years old, seeing what I am and what I am not. It hit me like a flash and I understood the difference between the self and the acquired self or ego. After that was purgatory, the mission to purge that ego, dissolve it, disentangle/unidentify myself with it, purify and cleanse it from my heart. It's like all the errors of the self and identity that exists as concepts and ideals and beliefs or things  that come about as a response to the body, etc, all the things we're usually very proud of.. burn it in the fire and attach to it no value. After some years of doing this with dedication and consistency I had the illumination experience, becoming one with the environment, no conceptual mind, seeing things as they are, the ending of fear and separation, boundless joy and love and the perception of the divine in all things.. but after an hour that passed and I returned to the normal state again. Had that happen three times and never again.

 

Trying to find an explanation for the experience, I looked online for what it could mean and, since I identified that levitating vision as a mystic, I fell on a wiki of mysticism that explained the levels of progression as awakening, purgatory, illumination, dark night of the soul, union with god. The description seemed to match my experience so I just use that terminology since I don't know anything about this or any other traditions.

 

To answer your question, I think it probably is very similar to dark night of the soul except it works on a different grade. Purgatory cleansing the sins of the mind while dark night of the soul cleanses the sins of the soul. As far as I can understand from my experience, I always called my path a spiritual path but I think until now I've only ever been working on my body and mind. Only in the illumination state I was able to see the divine and have access to other modes of perception and heightened senses and I think that that is the first stage of actual spirituality. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it for very long haha, back to being another idiot So I don't have any experience with spirituality but ya I think the dark night of the soul is a very similar process of ironing out the soul and making it more in alignment with god or truth beyond the smallness of the person. Of course my opinion is just speculation.. For me I have to solidify my foundations and somehow enter illumination again more reliably.. probably.. Was directed here in hopes that it might help me along

 

The descriptions of purgatory always seems like it's meant for death or after this life, but I really dont see it that way at all. It's definitely about the death of the self, so that's absolutely true, though it's the death of the 'false' self. And the torment and suffering is also fairly accurate depending on how attached you are to the things you have to give up/let go of. So it's all very dramatic and epic and awesome to see those purgatory situations, but I don't think it's all that miserable haha

[RiverSnake]

Interesting post. You seem quite stolid....and i don't mean intellectually.....your energy is sealed in a very stolid way.....to the point it needs to be forcefully opened. Not sure wha you've been engaging in but....yeah....if you want help....cool....but I don't work for free. PM if you'd like some assistance. 

Edited January 29, 2021 by RiverSnake

[zerostao]

I don’t recommend forcing, energy, breath, or forcing just about anything really.

[dwai]

9 hours ago, RiverSnake said:

. 

Moderator Note - 

We don’t condone disparaging remarks made towards any member on this forum. Please edit your post and correct yourself. If you cannot think of anything that is not offensive, please delete the comment.

Edited January 29, 2021 by dwai

[RiverSnake]

15 minutes ago, dwai said:

Moderator Note - 

We don’t condone disparaging remarks made towards any member on this forum. Please edit your post and correct yourself. If you cannot think of anything that is not offensive, please delete the comment.

 

I see, the way i phrased it, was not meant to be an insult in the common sense. Ok, edited. 

Edited January 29, 2021 by RiverSnake

[Ursus mellifera]

Just now, RiverSnake said:

 

I see, the way i phrased it was not meant to be an insult in the common sense. Ok, edited. 

 

Dude, I do that ALL the time. Synonyms are my dear friends.

[ilumairen]

1 hour ago, zerostao said:

I don’t recommend forcing, energy, breath, or forcing just about anything really.

And I don’t recommend allowing random people you’ve just met on the internet “forcing” anything - energetically or otherwise.

 

[doc benway]

1 hour ago, ilumairen said:

And I don’t recommend allowing random people you’ve just met on the internet “forcing” anything - energetically or otherwise.

 

 

Particularly when they ask for money...

[Ursus mellifera]

4 minutes ago, steve said:

 

Particularly when they ask for money...

 

That Nigerian prince said he'd pay me back!

[RiverSnake]

22 minutes ago, steve said:

 

Particularly when they ask for money...

 

Are you trying to imply that i am a con artist? If so, please say that directly. 

[ilumairen]

2 minutes ago, RiverSnake said:

 

Are you trying to imply that i am a con artist? If so, please say that directly. 

Steve is nicer than I am. What I will say is you are now on my personal watch list for what I see in this thread, and if it were solely up to me, you’d get a weeks suspension for your unsolicited energy reading, claims of issues related to the unsolicited energy reading, and requests for payment to “fix” the issues you claim related to said unsolicited energy reading.

 

Personally, I find such behavior questionable at best.

[doc benway]

2 minutes ago, RiverSnake said:

 

Are you trying to imply that i am a con artist? If so, please say that directly. 

 

I am warning a new member here to avoid paying money to anonymous strangers who offer questionable services or products.

If "con artist" is what comes up for you when reading my words that is for you to assess.

All I know for sure is that you are asking for money and providing no evidence that you offer anything of value. 

 

[RiverSnake]

Fair enough. 

[MysticNinjaSage]

Thanks guys for seeking to protect me, it's nice to see this kind of community. Since I'm new to this energy stuff, could anyone explain some things for me? Does anyone else have similar abilities to detect the state of my energy just by reading a text online? And if this is indeed possible, can a person remotely heal these sorts of conditions just like that? Does it somehow require consent? And, on the other hand, if a person wished to inflict harm and damage my energy or place a seal or curse, could it be done also just because they see a post online?

 

I'm essentially clueless as to what can and cannot be done with chi or magic or whatever all these methods are and it would be very helpful to know what kinds of parameters these things have. If RiverSnake is right and I do have a seal on my energy that's causing a lot of imbalances, how detrimental is this for me and how easily/difficult might it be to remove? What sorts of measures could I take to purify and harmonize myself to overcome such a dilemma?

 

Thanks for enlightening this beginner whose eyes are only starting to witness this wider world.

[helpfuldemon]

The only affect a person has on you is with words.  If your words have created a wall of energy that prevents or assists something, someone else can give you words that can help you break it down.  No one has the power to curse or heal you otherwise, except maybe God.  

[ilumairen]

5 hours ago, helpfuldemon said:

The only affect a person has on you is with words. 
 

 

My apologies helpfuldemon, but I disagree with this statement owing to personal experience with feeling the energy of others approaching me from outside my visual range with no words being spoken. The affect can be feelings of warmth and openness or a tightening and heightened sense of awareness if somehow “threat” is conveyed or sensed.

 

Owing to circumstances from childhood and early adulthood (when I learned words may be deceptive, but the energy (and movements and shifts there in) is not) I have tended to be much more sensitive than most.

 

5 hours ago, helpfuldemon said:

 

If your words have created a wall of energy that prevents or assists something, someone else can give you words that can help you break it down.  No one has the power to curse or heal you otherwise, except maybe God.  

Here, I feel you are on what I would call “the right track.” 
 

We are sovereign beings, and others honestly (energetically) only have the power over us which we grant them.

[liminal_luke]

Hi @MysticNinjaSage,

 

Like you, I´m not sure what´s possible in the realms of energy healing, reading, etc.  I tend to think that most everything we can imagine is possible, and, at the same time, many of the people who claim to do XYZ really can´t.  

 

Ilumairen mentioned that we´re "sovereign beings."  I think this is a super important concept.  To me, it means that everyone of us has certain rights that can not, or should not anyway, be trampled on by others.  One of these rights, to my way of thinking, is the right to seek or refuse help.  Nobody should be coming to you and telling you your energy is "stolid" unless you ask for an opinion.  I mean really, who do they think they are?  If there´s a problem, you are the one who will identify that something needs addressing (or not) and you are the one who will seek help (or not).  

 

One of my wellness goals is to feel more confident, self-assurred and strong.  I want to feel in charge of myself, secure in the knowledge that I´m OK (neither wonderful nor terrible but definitely alright) and capable of making my way in the world.  So I judge potential healings and therapy through this lens.  If a potential healer leads me to feel powerful and more "sovereign," to claim my boundaries and my space, I´m interested.  If someone starts out by telling me that there´s something wrong with me, I run the other way.

[ilumairen]

On 1/28/2021 at 10:31 PM, MysticNinjaSage said:

The descriptions of purgatory always seems like it's meant for death or after this life, but I really dont see it that way at all. It's definitely about the death of the self, so that's absolutely true, though it's the death of the 'false' self. And the torment and suffering is also fairly accurate depending on how attached you are to the things you have to give up/let go of. So it's all very dramatic and epic and awesome to see those purgatory situations, but I don't think it's all that miserable haha

Recently on the show American Gods, the character of Laura Moon found herself in purgatory. She was to watch a movie type clip of an event from her childhood, and impatiently put it on “pause” and offered her jaded and self-blaming synopsis of the event. Eventually she follows the instruction to “just watch,” and we see things weren’t quite what she made them to be.. the “false self” she created was seen for the not quite accurate story it was.

 

Elsewhere on this forum, I have referred to this process as the unraveling of a sweater... the stitches (knit together over a lifetime) start to become apparent, and as they become apparent they “drop”.. and you find yourself becoming both marvelously and terrifyingly naked. I tried to stop the process and hold onto things whose time had passed, but it doesn’t seem to work that way.

 

Edit to add: I don’t think it works the reverse way either - as in things won’t/can’t be let go or dropped until the circumstances and timing has come for it to happen. In my experience these things really can’t be forced. And it is wrong, imo, for another to suggest they can do “the forcing” (of what should not/can not be forced) for you.

 

8 hours ago, MysticNinjaSage said:

I'm essentially clueless as to what can and cannot be done with chi or magic or whatever all these methods are and it would be very helpful to know what kinds of parameters these things have. If RiverSnake is right and I do have a seal on my energy that's causing a lot of imbalances, how detrimental is this for me and how easily/difficult might it be to remove? What sorts of measures could I take to purify and harmonize myself to overcome such a dilemma?

I would suggest, if indeed there is some sort of “blockage” (or place where the stitches of your own sweater are still tightly knit), and you have personally not yet become aware of it, it is not yet time for those stitches to unravel.. at which point it becomes something someone else threw at you (which may become it’s own series of stitches), and not something you need to overly concern yourself with (without giving another undue power over you - which I would strongly recommend against).

 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by ilumairen

[dwai]

8 hours ago, MysticNinjaSage said:

I'm essentially clueless as to what can and cannot be done with chi or magic or whatever all these methods are and it would be very helpful to know what kinds of parameters these things have. If RiverSnake is right and I do have a seal on my energy that's causing a lot of imbalances, how detrimental is this for me and how easily/difficult might it be to remove? What sorts of measures could I take to purify and harmonize myself to overcome such a dilemma?

Lots of great advice from @ilumairen, @liminal_luke and others. 

Do you feel as if something is "off" with you? 

 

Sounds like you have a pretty good grasp on your situation and no "blockages" or "solidity" to me, simply based on what you wrote. You came here open to learning and shared your background freely. I think that is a great sign of "not being blocked". 

 

It also sounds like you are more a contemplation-oriented person than energy-oriented. Have you ever tried to take up a meditation practice?

 

[doc benway]

10 hours ago, MysticNinjaSage said:

Thanks guys for seeking to protect me, it's nice to see this kind of community. Since I'm new to this energy stuff, could anyone explain some things for me? Does anyone else have similar abilities to detect the state of my energy just by reading a text online? And if this is indeed possible, can a person remotely heal these sorts of conditions just like that? Does it somehow require consent? And, on the other hand, if a person wished to inflict harm and damage my energy or place a seal or curse, could it be done also just because they see a post online?

 

Your questions are excellent and important ones and I don't think we would all agree on the answers, if indeed there are any objective and clear answers. I'm happy to share my personal perspective, FWIW.

 

Can people detect the state of your energy by reading text online?   

I think it is possible to get a sense of someone's energetic state by reading what they write, as well as reading what they do not write. I'm certain you can do it yourself to a degree whether you realize it or not. Most of us have the ability to feel something in ourselves when interacting with others, whether in person or virtually, that indicate something about the other's state. How accurate that is depends on our sensitivity, our experience, our own energetic state in any given moment, and countless other variables. An important part of reading others' energy is knowing how much of what we feel is actually coming from ourselves and why the other is bringing that out in us. So much of what we attribute to others, to the outside world, is actually something residing or happening in us.

(Arguably, all of what we attribute to others and to the outside world is actually coming from us, but that's for another discussion.)

 

And if this is indeed possible, can a person remotely heal these sorts of conditions just like that?

In my opinion that depends more on the one looking for healing than on the one "doing" the healing.

It is a cooperative and collaborative endeavor and I feel it is possible under the right circumstances.

 

Does it somehow require consent?

Absolutely, consent is a requirement. Not only here at TaoBums but in general, regarding energetic healing.

It is important to be aware, however, that not everyone is capable of giving consent or withholding consent depending on their condition. It is the obligation of the "healer" to know this and carefully assess the one in need of healing. The one in need is not always in a position to know for themselves and are thus vulnerable.

 

And, on the other hand, if a person wished to inflict harm and damage my energy or place a seal or curse, could it be done also just because they see a post online?

That also depends on on the object of such practices.

If one is vulnerable I would say yes, they could be victimized by unethical practitioners.

If one has healthy boundaries and self-awareness, I would say it is very unlikely that anyone could take advantage in that way.

 

 

Quote

 

I'm essentially clueless as to what can and cannot be done with chi or magic or whatever all these methods are and it would be very helpful to know what kinds of parameters these things have. If RiverSnake is right and I do have a seal on my energy that's causing a lot of imbalances, how detrimental is this for me and how easily/difficult might it be to remove? What sorts of measures could I take to purify and harmonize myself to overcome such a dilemma?

 

I think the single most important way to address this is through self-awareness.

Any random stranger online can read your posts and tell you they think something is wrong that they can fix for money or otherwise.

The important thing is to simply use this information to look at yourself carefully -

- do I feel out of balance?

- do I feel blocked or sealed?

- is what they are telling me consistent with my own experience?

Just because someone says they see or feel something in you does not mean it is true.

So much of what people see or feel in others is their own projection.

A big part of spiritual cultivation is finding our own truth and developing certainty and confidence in that.

If you are feeling problems and see evidence of it in your life, then you have the opportunity to look at the reasons and the solutions.

There are many approaches to dealing with such blockages, too many to go into here.

The important thing is to find a method that resonates with you, one that makes sense and feels right.

Equally important to look at the credentials of the person offering help. 

What is their background? What is their training and credentials? How much experience do they have?

How do they come off to you - kind, cautious, compassionate or arrogant, demeaning, and predatory?

We need to look at these things when selecting both a healer or a teacher.

 

Quote

 

Thanks for enlightening this beginner whose eyes are only starting to witness this wider world.

 

As a fellow "beginner" you are asking the right questions and I wish you good fortune on your path.

[MysticNinjaSage]

3 hours ago, dwai said:

Sounds like you have a pretty good grasp on your situation and no "blockages" or "solidity" to me, simply based on what you wrote. You came here open to learning and shared your background freely. I think that is a great sign of "not being blocked". 

 

It also sounds like you are more a contemplation-oriented person than energy-oriented. Have you ever tried to take up a meditation practice?

 

I never found any method that didn't seem like newage useless nonsense, but as I'm browsing this site there seems to be so much potential in these jnana and buddhist sorts of mental clarity and the information laid out and steps to be taken to correct ones understanding. It seems systematic and progressive in its approach and I think it would yield great results if I applied myself to one principal at a time until I gained some level of mastery before moving on to the next.

 

I don't know what systems/traditions are out there and what their overall intended area of expertise is and I haven't had the time yet to browse and search if there's a topic that explains a general overview of each tradition and their types of practices but I would be so interested in learning about that to find out what calls to me the most. I've already made a word document with that intention, writing all these words down that I don't understand from these indian traditions and whatnot so I can look them up later, and eventually compile a list of traditions and what they do. Like Neigong does this and that, and the practice gives this and that, and this is the overall structure and progression stages. And then do that with everything else haha. Could be a cool way for people who are new to choose what calls to them.

 

I agree with what you said, I think I'm very open and honest and I value truth and integrity highly. Mentally I feel that I'm extremely willing and ready to change in accordance with principles of enlightenment but my body has always been fraught with difficulties, difficulty eating, digestive problems, anxieties, underweight, lack of stamina, instant onset of nausea if I lie on my back or very often attempt any kind of meditation, etc. I've always felt like my mind is willing and my body is somehow dead-weight that my spirit and will have to drag along. I exercise regularly, I think I finally learned most of the causes of digestive problems, (there was a time 6 years ago that for about a year and a bit I had like 50 anxiety atks per day and was on the verge of dying because I couldn't eat, sleep, relax, etc, I think it might have had to do with oversensitivity to a smart-meter + other wifi type frequencies that destroyed my body over that time) but since I got rid of it and during the time I made up my mind that if I die, I die, but at least I'll die like a man and stand upright and I have no more interest in anything the mind tells me anymore. I don't believe it, I don't care about it, if it can't be silent then I want nothing to do with it. After that the mind lost its hold on me, I haven't had anxiety since, I've learned to sink my breathing to my belly and that helped me eat more and breathe better and I'm overall a lot better now. (I'm writing all this mainly because it's in the 'greetings' area lol and if anyone wants to know about me I'll just quote to here )

 

So to finally get to your response, I feel that I've done a lot of mental sorts of things already and an overamplified mind seems to be causing chaos to this oversensitive body, so I feel that a body type practice of chi might be beneficial to balance me out. I also believe that a powerful mind should reside in a powerful body and that weakness is not a virtue, so this frail-ish type of body would do well to pick up the slack haha. I have assumed that the energy system might be messed up after a lifetime of issues and so probably some kind of physical chi practice to work on improving the channels and system might rectify this deficiency. (also want to apologize for this wall of text.. I write stories sometimes and don't know how to stop once I get started >.< )

 

And @steve that comment felt very reasonable and puts aside a lot of my worries. I thought maybe energy is like magic and people can just hurt someone because they want to, provided they're on a higher level of power or understanding with it than the other. So me being clueless about it, I'd be at great risk in a situation where I'm surrounded by all you masters If that's not the case then I feel relieved haha.

 

@ilumairen I totally agree with what you said. Trying to let go of something too soon, before you see it as being a problem, ends up creating problems. There's still attachment and since you haven't built up the conviction necessary for throwing it away, you're just going to pick it back up again later to see why you threw it away in the first place. Ultimately it needs to be fully understood why it's not worth having so it can be dropped permanently or maybe picked up very temporarily for a very specific purpose. Sort of like how pride is beneficial up to a point, after which it needs to be dumped.

Edited January 31, 2021 by MysticNinjaSage

[dwai]

35 minutes ago, MysticNinjaSage said:

but as I'm browsing this site there seems to be so much potential in these jnana and buddhist sorts of mental clarity and the information laid out and steps to be taken to correct ones understanding. It seems systematic and progressive in its approach and I think it would yield great results if I applied myself to one principal at a time until I gained some level of mastery before moving on to the next.

Excellent. If the contemplative tradition is what you find resonance with, I would recommend listening to some of these teachings by Swami Sarvapriyananda.

 

https://www.youtube.com/vedantany

 

This is a great place to start. Swami Sarvapriyananda balances the modern with traditional Vedanta, not "New Age" at all, but more "Eternal Age" --