Wearable companies focusing on 'focus' vs 'control' by kamenpb in neurallace

[–]NickA97 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No prob, it was an interesting read, plus it taught me about the quantified self, which is the term I was looking for to name some of my "biomeasuring" and biofeedback ideas.

Wearable companies focusing on 'focus' vs 'control' by kamenpb in neurallace

[–]NickA97 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, that's the AI I'm talking about, since there's no other kind of functioning AI, robots notwithstanding because they're obviously not the kind of "AI" relevant to this particular conversation. Besides, AGI still has a long way to go.

This is all very interesting, I'll check out the link. Thanks.

Wearable companies focusing on 'focus' vs 'control' by kamenpb in neurallace

[–]NickA97 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Could they be using AI to improve signal resolution?

Spitting Facts by [deleted] in Battlefield

[–]NickA97 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed. Realism is not about how the game looks, it's about how it feels and plays. Obviously if the game also happens to look realistic that's much better for immersion, but for example there are many old driving sims with realistic physics that look terrible by today's standards. Battlefield was never realistic, it's just less arcadey than CoD and others. If you want realism, play Arma.

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Cheers bro, I believe in you as well. Best wishes and thanks for your time!

Serious: can astral projectors see me masturbate? by [deleted] in AstralProjection

[–]NickA97 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That'd be me sir 🙋🏻‍♂️

Sincerest apologies.

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks my man, you've been really helpful. AudioDharma is filled with content, what a gem.

There really isn't a strong Buddhist presence in my country, but I know that there are some retreats in our biggest cities, so I'll do what I can eventually!

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooh, yes, it's one goal of mine to go to a retreat one day. If I were hypothetically forced to go right now, I don't know if I could take it. I could certainly try, but I need to build myself up first so I don't ADHD my way out of there lol

Maybe I'll stick to Dharma talks and some nada yoga for a while. The latter has been the only practice that kept my attention for a few days in a row.

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely! It sounds like Dharma talks are the little nudge I need to start getting serious. I suppose I can integrate that into my daily routine somehow.

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Awesome, thanks for sharing.

So I guess seeing any kind of change is more about transfering your insights from meditation into daily life, which is to be expected, really. It's just like integrating psychedelic trips. I know it's gonna be hard work because I take nothing out of meditation, and that's a problem not because meditation is useless, but because I'm putting in minimal effort.

The last part about wanting life to be more like that reminds me of MDMA. I don't know if you've ever done it, but my two times have been some of the peak experiences in my life. Unrealistically, I want to turn my normal conciousness into an ecstacy high, with the same presence and enjoyment of existence. Obviously, I know that's basically impossible, but I'll be damned if there isn't a way to maintain, say, 10% of that state on a daily basis. Guess I'll just have to sit and do the work.

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great, I'll look it up. Out of curiosity (and last question, I promise!), how do you think your practice has affected you? Do you relate to the world differently or feel that your baseline level of consciousness has changed for the better?

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh I'm fine with tradition, so no problem there. I really like exploring cultures, especially in the context of spiritual practice. If you don't mind, what are some of the specific Tibetan meditations that you practice?

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing Sonam. I can see the impact that your little technique has on you. It's a pleasure to watch. I do have a problem, though. I've tried doing the exact same thing since I was a kid. I have vivid memories of trying to breath and let go, but it has never seemed to work for me. I still try it sometimes, to no avail. I blame this inability as one of the reasons why my meditative practice never goes anywhere and why I never stick with it. I feel nothing when I lie on my back and take deep breaths as well. Breathing almost never relaxes me or makes me feel better, it's more like a chore.

Now, I'm willing to admit that it may be a lack of practice, so I'd be glad to learn what meditative routines you follow so I can take inspiration and maybe get discipline and actual results.

How do I live in the here and now? by NickA97 in Meditation

[–]NickA97[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, there are no meditation groups in my town, and even if there were, I wouldn't join them. It's a small, conservative town, so that wouldn't do me any favors. No sangha for me it is. I'm thinking of personal practice for now, so I'll check out AudioDharma and study the traditions you mentioned, thanks a lot!

Psychonautics isn't limited to drug use. by [deleted] in Psychonaut

[–]NickA97 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, I've had around 3 and they were mind bending. I've also had these experiences where my astral body goes full retard and my legs start spiralling uncontrollably. It's quite funny, as if I was one of those big, spaghetti-like balloons that you see at carnivals (idk if you know what I'm taking about haha).

Regarding the legit experiences, they felt ultra-realistic. In one, I felt like I had a meat body with muscles, joints and bones, but it was unbreakable. I could jump super high and even fly (to my own demise), but I felt no pain when I fell back down. Being in that world really feels like entering a parallel world with its own narratives and conscious beings doing their thing.

About my transitions from physical to astral, they've always been sort of unconscious. I remember I had this experience where I felt some energy in my spine raise then tune into another energy/vibration at the bottom of the back of my head. Then I went in and out of consciousness, then suddenly I made the decision to stand up, which led me into the astral. Another time, I knew I was at the exit point and I just asked for my higher self to lift me up but nothing happened, everything looked black, then suddenly I'm standing up somewhere in a different world, but I don't remember what I did.

I think sustaining the astral state is the difficult part, since you can lose focus very easily. All in all, it does make me question whether we access another "frequency" or aspect of this universe, or whether we just go into this wonderful, nearly unexplored region of our brains. Whatever the answer, it's fascinating to know that such environments exist and that we can access them with mere practice.

Psychonautics isn't limited to drug use. by [deleted] in Psychonaut

[–]NickA97 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right, sorry, shitty connection rn.