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OfflineLion
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Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources
    #26858394 - 08/02/20 08:38 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Hi all,

I thought I would make a thread where people can share stories of their progress towards living in deeper, truer, more peaceful, equanimous and life-affirming states of consciousness. One could use the term mindfulness, Bodhicitta, awareness, presence, mystical or peak experience, or the more secular "flow" state.

I've been working on trauma healing, of the physical body and mind, as well as learning to see neurosis and self-hatred clearly and thus, hopefully, transcend its grip in day to day life over time. The work has been like a long roller coaster, previously with many more troughs than peaks, now with a bit more calm and ability to observe with detachment.

During this pandemic I've gone through some stages of grappling with addiction, trying to understand what actually motivates me and what I can work towards that is good and sustainable, what the connection is between the personal and the political, and what it means to be of use to fellow humans and other sentient beings. All of these questions remain unanswered.

In terms of substances, I've experimented during the pandemic with microdosing LSD and MDMA, and have also been using CBD for quite a while for its effect of bringing me into the "deeper now" where immediate sensations take precedence over the rambling agitated monkey mind that normally runs the show. I've also been using weed and alcohol quite a lot, but these have diminishing returns with more use. (I've also found that MDMA in higher doses can be very destabilizing for me, possibly not good for the physical brain, even though the insights are profound.)

I've also been interested in accessing flow states, wherein one is immersed in an activity to such a degree that time and thought recede into the background and the immediacy of the activity one is engaged in becomes the most noticeable feature of consciousness. Music and hard exertion in the outdoors seem to be ways to access such a state. Having one's life generally organized, having a sustainable routine, and attending to one's body (nourishment, sleep, stretching, etc) all seem to make flow more accessible. Also, psychoactive substances, used wisely, seem to deepen the flow for me a lot of the time, especially with regards to music or just trying to abide calmly in whatever surroundings I find myself in.

In terms of resources, I would offer the following things that I think have the potential to be helpful and transformative:

- "Stealing Fire" by Jamie Wheal and Stephen Kotler, a book about flow states and how various people (Silicon Valley execs, Navy SEALS et al) train themselves to abide in flow states. I'm normally very cynical and skeptical when I hear about the trendy things elite people are using to enhance their lives, but this book makes a pretty compelling case.

- the works of Scott Barry Kaufman, a positive psychologist who spends lots of time writing about self-actualization (becoming the best you)

- Sam Harris' Waking Up app and podcast, with guided meditations and conversations about the benefits of mindfulness practices

- the YouTube videos of Craig Holliday, who's a nondual spiritual teacher and therapist who talks about awakening to the nature of the self and the present moment

- Tim Ferriss' podcast, which goes in depth about achieving high performance in many domains and living a well-rounded life

- The ReWild Yourself podcast with Daniel Vitalis, which discusses nutrition, lifestyle and reconnecting with land / nature

I'll add more things if and when I discover them.

I'll end this post by saying that I am now trying to think more deliberately about how the next twenty years of my life might be (knowing full well that I don't ultimately have control over how things turn out), and I see the ingredients of a happy life as being mindfulness, nutrition, the ability to spend as much time as possible in flow states, the ability to help others experience such states, sustainable employment, environmentally conscious habits and lots of skillful work to improve one's self image and confidence, transcend and integrate (without pushing away) the shadow and the darker parts of the mind, find meaning in art, practice and cultivate compassion, wisdom and loving-kindness, and try not to do harm to oneself or others.

Thanks for reading, and please share your stories and resources that have helped you.


--------------------
“Strengthened by contemplation and study,
I will not fear my passions like a coward.
My body I will give to pleasures,
to diversions that I’ve dreamed of,
to the most daring erotic desires,
to the lustful impulses of my blood, without
any fear at all, for whenever I will—
and I will have the will, strengthened
as I’ll be with contemplation and study—
at the crucial moments I’ll recover
my spirit as was before: ascetic.”


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OfflineBuster_Brown
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: Lion]
    #26858445 - 08/02/20 09:05 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

"knowing full well that I don't ultimately have control over how things turn out"

One thing may be for sure: Jack will use his magic bean plant to raid heaven.


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Invisibleredgreenvines
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: Lion]
    #26858581 - 08/02/20 10:34 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

I have been investigating brain powers that might be possible since I was a child.

Between 3yrs of age and 6 yrs of age I was in the category of mobility disabled, so I got used to sitting in a funk and watching.
moody maybe (certainly) but not depressed, as I was immersing into scenes that I would be plunked down before, whether it is a gloomy living room  with a window and photographs etc. or on a porch or at a beach.

It was apparent that people were operating with differing amounts of mental ability, and I was attracted to the brighter types, those who might stop and wonder what I was thinking, they seemed to have more on the ball - and I wanted to have more on the ball, and I already thought I did.

so, basically I liked watching, so sitting meditation comes naturally with that kind of background (many habits had to be adjusted, but it was natural.

Accordingly I have practiced some form of meditation for well over 50 years. I got into pot and acid shortly after getting into meditation from books and correspondence, but I had been lazy and sloppy or inconsistent with my practice for at least the first 40 years of life.

I really enjoyed the discovery of LSD and Shrooms which were as intoxicating as weed, but much more clear minded. and later I enjoyed stimulants which forced me to attend to all the excitement of the body. This is about having more on the ball - more life, more experience, more pleasure.

Until I got into Salvia, however, I kept my drug use separate from meditation, and my drug insight separate from spiritual or transcendent mental insight. I now think that was superstition on my part.

My examination of salvia divinorum experiences & levels helped me to understand psychedelic states and absorption states from meditation, as well as ordinary associative brain function in general and how that related to time distortion or sensation extension with absorptive states however induced.

this starts at 2003 and extends to this moment.

I love to use psychedelics and especially to have a sense of observing phenomena and mental contents as they change - with psychedelics the contents are invariably richer and more varied lingering like jeweled mobiles as I progress on my way through moments.

I get the second sense, when doing psychedelics, the awareness of awareness, or presence. and that is increasing; but I have a problem with the phrase "flow state". If I look at the enriched moments and the extension of one sensation or idea overtop of the next, I can see how the term "flow state" has come about, but to me it is not flow, it more fluff, as in fluff up and carry on.

Another thing that is increasing is my ability to listen to people's painful stories. Honestly people corner me when I am stoned and cry and tell me their problems. This is not pleasurable to me, I do not want it but it keeps happening, and I no longer walk away, instead I listen to everything and consider it. I am not sure how this helps but people seem to feel a lot better when I do mushrooms or acid.

Weed, however, does not help other people in the same way - I mean when I smoke it; probably because it reduces my attention to other people making me more internally focused.

Some days I do no drugs at all, others I wake up wondering what it will be. Eventually the schedule unfolds and life continues. I have little expectation and no commitment to getting stoned, but a great appreciation for it when it does not interfere with life.

So in summary, I want to have more on the ball but I am happy to just get fluffy and watch.


--------------------
:confused: _ :brainfart:🧠  _ :finger:


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InvisibleFerdinando
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26859997 - 08/03/20 03:18 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

I think schools should be more concrete and focusing on life

what is life about

what are the goals

what is best

what is best to do

how does one evade violence and error

etc.

2 x 45 minutes of meditation a day can do this

disaster usually happens in twenties

at least sometimes

so why don't schools make a subject called life what to do and how to navigate it

simply letting the children know hey this is life destruction is bad for you and those around you this is what you have not to do and this is what you have to do to attain it if you can't do it by yourself (I mean like without battery charging things like meditation)

I think if someone know someone headed for something negative they should say listen this is bad this field is bad avoit it and

that we should be concrete about what to do about it and how to avoid it


--------------------
with our love with our love we could save the world


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Invisibleredgreenvines
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: Ferdinando]
    #26860064 - 08/03/20 05:50 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

there is never just one way to perceive or to act, thankfully the world is perfectly imperfect


--------------------
:confused: _ :brainfart:🧠  _ :finger:


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OfflineLion
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26860066 - 08/03/20 05:51 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Interesting, rgv. I like "getting fluffy" versus the more marketing-like "flow state", despite it sounding a bit like warming people up to do porn. :lol:

I'm aware that flow state is just a term I've been reading about lately that's also coincided with my experiencing some states that I wasn't in the habit of experiencing, so that's crystallized it into a more solid concept for me. But I don't think I'm overly attached to using it to explain these states or qualities of being and doing.

It's interesting to see you mention people telling you their difficult, painful and sad stories. While using MDMA recently I've often been around people who weren't on the drug, and sometimes didn't know I had used it either, and it did seem that the effects on my consciousness were having an impact on them and their ability to talk with me and open up. In my first MDMA experience I was acutely, painfully aware of the "closing" or "retraction" of my consciousness in anticipation of other peoples' judgment of me, their sharing with me of their painful mental states (which I felt I had heightened awareness of via their body language, facial expressions, tone etc). At one point a lovely conversation was taking place and I was relaxing my grip on the false sense that I somehow had to facilitate it and make sure it went well - then the focus of the conversation turned to me and I found myself switching from calm and accepting to hot and panicky.

I also had the important insight that you don't necessarily have to defend yourself against others' energy infecting your mind, if you're mindful of what's happening in the exchange. I used to feel, and still often do, that I have to remove myself when someone is discussing ideas or ideologies I find toxic, or just talking in a way that seems to have a negative charge attached to it. But I saw in some of these experiences how offering no resistance can actually be better for oneself and for the person doing the sharing.

The layered states of LSD add whole dimensions to this kind of thing. When I've taken any kind of noticeable dose of LSD around other people recently I've felt the need to be alone in my room or in the backyard, or out walking around the neighborhood in masked anonymity, for much of the time.

"Weed, however, does not help other people in the same way - I mean when I smoke it; probably because it reduces my attention to other people making me more internally focused."

Well said. There is a certain kind of shift of attention. I can't remember who gave me this idea, but it feels accurate and I always mentally reference it in addition to getting stoned: Weed makes you feel as though you're more aware of people's state of being and needs, but less capable of meeting those needs on the level of interpersonal interaction. I do find a bit of weed, sometimes while also using CBD and a drink or two of alcohol, effective for improvised music playing (by myself or with friends) and drawing, which are two of my main art crafts / personal therapies these days.


--------------------
“Strengthened by contemplation and study,
I will not fear my passions like a coward.
My body I will give to pleasures,
to diversions that I’ve dreamed of,
to the most daring erotic desires,
to the lustful impulses of my blood, without
any fear at all, for whenever I will—
and I will have the will, strengthened
as I’ll be with contemplation and study—
at the crucial moments I’ll recover
my spirit as was before: ascetic.”


Edited by Lion (08/03/20 06:02 AM)


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OfflineLion
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: Ferdinando]
    #26860069 - 08/03/20 05:59 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Quote:

Ferdinando said:
I think schools should be more concrete and focusing on life

what is life about

what are the goals

what is best

what is best to do

how does one evade violence and error

etc.

2 x 45 minutes of meditation a day can do this

disaster usually happens in twenties

at least sometimes

so why don't schools make a subject called life what to do and how to navigate it





This is something I've thought a lot about recently: schools, the areas they choose to focus on, the means of learning and integrating new information they teach, and whether any of it is really effective. I can think of lots of things that I personally would like to see out of schools: more emphasis on awareness of the inner body, thoughts and emotions. More movement, including daily martial arts perhaps. Conflict resolution. Personal organization, time management, habit formation and goal setting. Nutrition.

I guess the fundamental issue with schools is that everything needs to be scaled for millions and millions of students and teachers, and also the goal of indoctrinating/propagandizing young people into the project of the state and getting students on board with the dominant ways of thinking and navigating reality absorb a lot of the energy in educational planning.

If I have children in the near future, I would prefer to explore experimental education of some kind, with less structure and more flexibility, and preferably with other kids in their peer group as well rather than just home schooling. The idea of forest schools is compelling to me, though I'm generally ignorant of what's going on in pedagogy. I hated school and found it to be like prison or a Kafka-esque nightmare to which I awoke every morning at 6 a.m for 12 years.


--------------------
“Strengthened by contemplation and study,
I will not fear my passions like a coward.
My body I will give to pleasures,
to diversions that I’ve dreamed of,
to the most daring erotic desires,
to the lustful impulses of my blood, without
any fear at all, for whenever I will—
and I will have the will, strengthened
as I’ll be with contemplation and study—
at the crucial moments I’ll recover
my spirit as was before: ascetic.”


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Invisiblelaughingdog
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26861636 - 08/03/20 08:59 PM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Quote:

redgreenvines said:
....Until I got into Salvia, however, I kept my drug use separate from meditation, and my drug insight separate from spiritual or transcendent mental insight. I now think that was superstition on my part.

My examination of salvia divinorum experiences & levels helped me to understand psychedelic states and absorption states from meditation, as well as ordinary associative brain function in general and how that related to time distortion or sensation extension with absorptive states however induced.






.  Thanks for the very interesting post RGV. As regards your experiences with salvia, in comparison to many of the negative experiences of others using it ( & often becoming 'stuck in objects' etc.), do you have any idea as to the cause of the difference? Do you think there is anything specific that differentiates your approach? Or is something else involved.


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Invisibleredgreenvines
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: laughingdog]
    #26861996 - 08/04/20 05:04 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Quote:

laughingdog said:
Quote:

redgreenvines said:
....Until I got into Salvia, however, I kept my drug use separate from meditation, and my drug insight separate from spiritual or transcendent mental insight. I now think that was superstition on my part.

My examination of salvia divinorum experiences & levels helped me to understand psychedelic states and absorption states from meditation, as well as ordinary associative brain function in general and how that related to time distortion or sensation extension with absorptive states however induced.






.  Thanks for the very interesting post RGV. As regards your experiences with salvia, in comparison to many of the negative experiences of others using it ( & often becoming 'stuck in objects' etc.), do you have any idea as to the cause of the difference? Do you think there is anything specific that differentiates your approach? Or is something else involved.



dosage.
I use less.
otherwise, it's just everything involved in personality.
my physical abnormalities are basically just horseshoe kidney which does not affect mental state.


--------------------
:confused: _ :brainfart:🧠  _ :finger:


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Invisiblelaughingdog
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26862695 - 08/04/20 01:39 PM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Quote:

redgreenvines said:
I use less.
otherwise, it's just everything involved in personality.
....




Yes perhaps mainly the years of meditation/personality
As regards dosage do you go with plain leaf, tincture, 10X, or quid or something else?
I grew it once long ago, when I lived where the climate was workable,
and reverse tolerance certainly reduced the necessary dose.
It was a very interesting, but finicky plant.


Edited by laughingdog (08/04/20 01:40 PM)


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Invisibleredgreenvines
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: laughingdog]
    #26862740 - 08/04/20 02:15 PM (3 years, 5 months ago)

although I someitmes smoked leaf, or fat joints of leaf, or extract, (still have loads locked up) My Salvia preparation of choice is tiny bits of cigarette paper with ~350 mics of salvinorin-A on each them which I can easily burn and inhale in one second.
I cut up a few doped cigarette papers and stuffed the bits in my special pocket pouch with its 2inch chillum and mini-bic lighter.

this usually takes me to visionary but occasionally to immaterial merge-ing with walls etc. double that and I will move around too much or white out. Not interesting to take too much but quite interesting to have a 5 minute retest of remaining theories in salviaD visionary reality.

I eventually give double my amount to anyone else that wants to try it, as my dose is too light for them to be impressed, but at ~700 mics of salvinorin-A, they love it! (usually once is enough, haha)


--------------------
:confused: _ :brainfart:🧠  _ :finger:


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Invisiblelaughingdog
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26863508 - 08/04/20 09:34 PM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Wow! pure salvinorin-A , plus a precise technique!


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Invisibleredgreenvines
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: laughingdog]
    #26863519 - 08/04/20 09:43 PM (3 years, 5 months ago)
Log in to view attachment

here's how


--------------------
:confused: _ :brainfart:🧠  _ :finger:


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Invisiblelaughingdog
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26863791 - 08/05/20 04:30 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

:smile::smile::smile:


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OfflineLion
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Re: Sharing self-actualization, flow, mastery stories and resources [Re: redgreenvines]
    #26863859 - 08/05/20 06:26 AM (3 years, 5 months ago)

Quote:

redgreenvines said:
here's how



This could potentially be better than consuming a lot of podcasts, books, TED talks and the musings of Silicon Valley types...


--------------------
“Strengthened by contemplation and study,
I will not fear my passions like a coward.
My body I will give to pleasures,
to diversions that I’ve dreamed of,
to the most daring erotic desires,
to the lustful impulses of my blood, without
any fear at all, for whenever I will—
and I will have the will, strengthened
as I’ll be with contemplation and study—
at the crucial moments I’ll recover
my spirit as was before: ascetic.”


Extras: Filter Print Post Top
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