Dear Anita,

I would like it if this thread will not be only a conversation between you and I, but a place where more members will participate in, members with more knowledge of Buddhism.

-I would love nothing more!

Shakti Seaturtle, that’s the goal?

-Yes (:

Remove the impurities (deceptions, false beliefs, invalid shame and guilt, misunderstandings), aka samaskaras,  and you end up with pure cosmic energy, aka Shakti. Did I get it right?

-Yes, that is what my understanding is as well. Invalid shame, guilt and deception (past) and invalid anxiety, fear.. (future). Learning to just Be Now. What I learned is that our minds cannot figure out what/who Being is, giving it the task of figuring out who we are, as the watcher of our thoughts, emotions and outside world (I would also add bodily sensations to that, but those are the three Michael Singer spoke of) is a waste of brilliant mind potential. As humans our minds have discovered amazing things when given the right tasks, and I believe I have given my mind tasks that I am working towards releasing, such as the task to make me comfortable, and more tasks I am sure I haven given it.. I wonder if it is my minds job to release samskaras, or what part the mind plays in that process…? From my understanding, a way to release is to relax in the face of the discomfort. I want to separate mind and “I.”

I think that it’s about accepting and surrendering to the truths of this world that we have no control over (we can’t change them), and focusing on what we do have control over

-How do we get more clarity on separating these two categories?

Seaturtle

Dear Anita,

” When you find yourself worried and ruminating about a situation, or a person, ask yourself if you can change the situation or the person in any way that’s objectively significant. If you can’t, ask yourself what’s the purpose of your ruminating.”

A current example I am actually ruminating is on one of my friends. I am not sure if it is the particular phase she is in, or if me entering this spiritual awakening journey has opened my eyes to a more permanent issue. My birthday is at the end of this month (Seaturtle turns 25! woo hoo 🙂 )  and my dads generous gift to me is a weekend at his palm springs home, where I can invite some girls, I have two friends I have been in contact with recently my roommate, and P, who I used to be closer with and her living in AZ is part of the reason I moved here! But ever since this guy she has been with, she is so negative, and she talks just so much, doesn’t allow a moment of silence. She cuts me off, I can hardly get a story out, I know way more about her life and minor inconveniences than she does about my personal life. She doesn’t listen when I talk she just waits to talk, and my patiences is falling away. In trying to be a good friend I have spent time with her and just allowed her to vent. But my birthday weekend in palm springs… is something I am finding myself wanting to control the energy of. My roommate is a good listener and in a much clearer headspace, fairly honest with herself and third eye definitely is fluttering open, my other friend, hers is closed, she lies to herself and excuses toxic behavior with her current partner. Out of habit I invited them both to palm springs, if I didn’t invite her it would have really hurt her feelings, but now I am finding myself want to have a talk with her about the things she says and how much she talks… my roommate has also pointed both of those things out but she has lots of patience, like me. Is this something that falls under my control? If so, do you have any advice on how to speak with her in a productive way/ an “objectively significant way? I know she has more potential, I have seen her third eye more open (I think, but this was before I started this deeper spiritual journey), it is certainly closed right now.

-In general, a good question, as I awaken my third eye and start to see people close to me in a more raw light, how do I manage it in a non-condescending way without allowing them to bring me down? Have you (anyone reading) experienced this?

Seaturtle

Dear Helcat,

I wrote to you yesterday and for some reason the post is waiting for moderation.. I am not sure why.

“Have you got any meditation practices?”

Yes! For the past 5 years, whenever I have felt myself in a streak of anxiety for more than a few days I have used the app, Headspace, to guide me through morning mediations. There I learned to meditate through going into my body, as well as visualizing a light coming from the sky through the top of my head and glowing out of me as far as I could visually stretch it. Since researching Buddhism, I have learned about meditation through self reflection, before I didn’t realize this was a type of mediation, but I had been doing it before, as is obvious with my posting on here in general. I have also practiced empty mind meditation. This morning particularly I woke up from some negative dreams and attempted to meditate to wake my third eye, I just focused on the space between my eyes, thought of the wisdom it brought, then decided to have some tea with it. I am not sure if there is a more effective meditation practice to open the third eye (aka my ability to see things as they truly are)?

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of Traditional Chinese Medicine? “

I have not, but would like to learn! Last year I did not eat well, lots of takeout, weed was involved, and so was an abrupt move from moderate weather and seasons, to intense heat and dryness. Stress and sleep trouble were also involved. I am still on a self reflection journey to see what happened to me last year, why I felt/was so unconscious. Although I did lots of art in that time, I wonder if consciousness is apart of that, or if art is meditative?

“Buddhism is great at unpicking things and helping you to choose what you’d like to keep and let go.”

This is one of the reasons I am seeking out Buddhist teachings, because I want to let go. Although I have some fear around what those things are, my messages here to Anita have been about my long time friend, P, who since being on this journey, has seemed like part of what I may need to let go. But I have thoughts like “what if she is just that way because of …. right now, and will wake back up, I shouldn’t give up on her?” “Doesn’t being a good friend/family member mean to stick by someone through the lows?” When to release.

“False selves. … A conditioned response, where we default to a learned pattern in times of stress.”

How do I detect when it is my false self wanting to make a decision, or me, and if there is this separation… then who is me? If false selves have conditions and preferences, does “me/I” have preferences too? That is a big question I have had on this journey. I was feeling artsy one day and built this shelf in my room, it is painted sage green and has pink flowers all over it, I put some plants and a jewelry box inside. After I made it I thought “that is my style/ my aesthetic, it resonates with me and I love it.” A short time after, I got to the portion of Michael Singers teachings about false selves and it made me wonder…is that piece of art just an accumulation of what I have “falsely” identified with in my life? If so, what even is my art…the expression of false selves?

“A lot of Buddhist practices are designed for monastery life. So it’s hard to get too deep into it, but definitely helpful for lessening suffering.”

This is what I have suspected. I do not want to be a perfectionist about it because that is just another false self entering the equation. It is hard to live by certain things and not bother others.. if you see someone acting as a false self, asking you to do something, do you say no and call them out, ignore them or just do it?

“Surrendering and accepting things as they are is difficult! I always resist. I’m stubborn as a mule!”

Hahaha, I am stubborn too, although I identify more with a seaturtle, the sign given to me by the stars is a Bull, and I can’t argue with that.

“And some of these books about Buddhism. If you come back to them in a couple of years. Parts will make sense that didn’t make sense before.”

I can totally see this being true, it has already happened to me, this is the third time I read Untethered soul and it took till this time for me to actually see that Surrendering is the answer. Also, The Power of Now, I was given that book when I was 17 and I remember wanting to understand it so badly but I was just rereading the same thing over and over. But now I read and understand which is validating to growth!

Seaturtle and Bull

Helcat,

 “I really enjoyed talking to you. “

Ditto!! 🙂

“I hope you get some rest when you can and take extra special care of yourself. “

Yes I will, that is what today is for. I am going to try and rescue my orchid plant and maybe do some painting if I feel inspired.

Seaturtle