Natural Freedom

Also to note, before someone jumps all over it.

It can be more than one thing, it can be many things.

I have some which have gone on all my life, then ones which lasted 10 yrs or so, then some which last a couple of years.

They can overlap and co-exist.

Some I have done, then put down, then come back to many years later and re-discovered that excitement and joy.

There is no exclusivity to it.

_________________
In building a statue, a sculptor doesn't keep adding clay to his subject.He keeps chiseling away at the inessentials until the truth of its creation is revealed without obstructions. Perfection is not when there is no more to add,but no more to take away.

As someone whom I personally know has a serious passion, commits to it, as well as has found a way to make money from it and continues to develop it, you have a lot to add to the discussion.

Many things for sure. I have gotten really into a pretty serious yoga practice for a year now, kind of out of nowhere. It doesn't even have an end goal, but I feel this connection to it and made a commitment. Some get way into it as a lifestyle and go to train to be teachers and make that their gig. That will never be me- my main passion will always go way before it but it is still a part of the equation.

_________________
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTXz8xMaJi4

Haha, so true. Whenever a situation like that makes me feel a little sympathetic, I remember what it was like when the tables were turned ...suddenly all sympathy vanishes.

Depends on the perspective on the person experiencing the suffering. From the point of view of a coppertop there is pain and suffering that kind isn't great...but in terms of members of the forum it's learning a technical skillset and that kind of pain is just growth. If you want to master something and be truly great in a field it's something you have to embrace. Fuck ups happen lots haha and they suck sometimes.That's something that I've carried with me into everything, if it's painful or whatever meh, I've seen worse.
I relax lots lol, but I always have bigger plans and larger goals. So I will always experience growing pains, forever .

_________________
"The heart is deep beyond all things, and it is the man. Even so, who can know him."

In case you guys never came across this one: [Edit: he was also responsible for this gem of an exchange:]

_________________
"I will not grow in the light, until I pass through the darkest caverns of my heart..."

"Temet Nosce"

Good stuff Morpheus,

I found that after finally figuring out this mindset and getting it down, like the OP all these girls became more of a burden and work than the utopia I thought it would be. Sex is good and fun but a lot of times it's not worth the before and after like Kidd and many others of have said many times.

This had a profound effect on all other areas of my life as well. I realized that the tons of money I desired, the promotion, etc etc would all follow the same suit upon achieving them. It'd be novel and fun for a while but then I'd probably just start noticing the negatives that come with it (and there are two sides to everything in life) and just want more and more never being fulfilled.
So, like above I find myself just trying to maximize my enjoyment of life whatever my intuition tells me that may be in the moment, and ya relaxin to the max is a huge priority

Ah, I think we're using the word suffering differently. I'm talking about suffering in the way buddhists define the term, which is that suffering is different than pain. Pain can happen, but its our thoughts about pain and desire that can cause suffering. If we're attached to the idea that pain shouldn't happen, and then it does anyway, thats when we suffer. Same thing if we desire something (like women, money, acceptance, etc), and yet we don't get it, then thats when we suffer.

In my opinion, thats what a lot of the advice on this forum is about - different ways to give up the attachment and desire around women, which then eliminate the suffering around them too. Like getting rejected will always sting, but its the belief that I shouldn't get rejected that will cause suffering. Perfect example of this from StephenP: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2497

So, when I said "Do you suffer about other things? If so, work on those," what I meant was that maybe you don't suffer about women any more, but maybe you still have attachments to money/work/career, or maybe family/acceptance, or who knows what other things you could suffer about.

Like maybe your a painter who is very good, but your paintings don't sell for as much as another painter you know, and you're not in as much demand as they are. The problem is not that you don't sell your paintings for as much or that you aren't in as much demand - the problem is that you think you should, that you don't accept yourself for being the painter that you are. Thats what's causing the suffering.

_________________
"The society gives you a map; I give you only freedom. The society gives you character, I give you only consciousness. The society teaches you to live a conformist life ... I give you an invitation to go on an adventure." - Osho

Desire is insatiable.

Much to write!
Many gems here!

That’s interesting ahk. Doing internal stuff for me isn’t pointless at all, because its taking me toward the truth and solidifying it at the same time.
Just today in a quiet sit down with myself I came across a realization that I have a HUGE ego. The irony for me is that I believed I had a small and humble ego! :lol

Completely agree flow on multiple levels if there is such a thing. I’m beginning to realize sex is a big deal for me, because I derive so much from it, other than the physical pleasure.

How funny things show up!! I’m against “buying” sex, because I believed “I didn’t want to be the guy that has to buy sex”. That shows me I have a lot more attached to sex and women, then just the physical pleasure. Smells like some self-worth, external acceptance, and some other bogus garbage!

This is something I'm seeing too. Some things I wanted to pursue months ago is different from what I want to pursue now. Change is one of the only constants in life. That “ONE LIFE PURPOSE” phrase is definitely thrown around a lot in self-help…it’s a little slut!

On a slightly different note I realized today I’m depressed more so than happy, because I’ve stopped doing what I actually love or enjoy. I became stuck in the cycle of bettering myself to get more pussy and be more attractive. Everything I had in mind, for the majority, with myself was, would it be something to better myself and make me more attractive to women. It always was about becoming more attractive. The irony is I didn’t sleep with many women even though I had so much focus on it.

Now, I’m focusing on what I want in life and what I derive pleasure from. Once my living condition is stable and my financials are in order I’m going to sign up to a Circus/Acrobat class, because since I was young I was like a monkey climbing things and being outdoors. So, I’d like to learn how to do flips and balance on ropes.

This is something I want to experience. I’m glad I’m working on being indifferent, so that way I can actually enjoy the physical parts of sex and meeting the different people. This way, I’m not sleeping around to fill something, but experiencing it, because I have a general curiosity for it. And, when that curiosity ends I can only think that I will move on to my next curiosity in life.

This made me think.

Unshackle myself from my ego and its self-sabotaging behaviors and restrictions.
made

Nicely put man. It made me think of, do the things that you enjoy and work on the things that bring suffering and pain to your life. A ying-and-yang thing. Sounds great to me!

Few things came to thought. 1) “Very little is learnt from success, while much is learnt from fuck-ups”. 2) “if it’s painful or whatever meh, I’ve seen worse” something I took away from Zen readings is: it’s is what it is in that moment. Pain, gain, happy, sad, it’s what is.

Thanks for this clarification, it helped sort things and clarify my above post. Then, you do what you enjoy and work on the attachments you have in life. It’s beautiful. The things you enjoy don’t feel like work, while the “work on attachments” can be strenuous at time (not always) you then have a ying-and-yang (balance).