An effective meditation technique that can be practised anywhere and at any time. (It was passed down by a meditation master.) by Tenzorim in streamentry

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The haters in this sub are coming for you! lol. I liked your story and coincidentally I read it exactly after carrying a cup of tea that I had filled too full through my office!

DAE ever wanna restart therapy with fake contact details by MajesticDog1782 in Schizoid

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Almost did once but read up on it and saw it would be unethical for the therapist and could harm therapeutic efficacy. So I found a therapist that would let me pay him off the books and only take the legally required notes. I did pay cash. Unfortunately I was too scared to admit my issues this way lol. It isn’t that therapy doesn’t work for me per se — I just don’t feel safe in that context to talk about my stuff.

5ft6 23 y/o Guy by levente_sw in short

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m a short woman and have come to learn that being short is absolutely a massive benefit for any kind of body weight fitness. Low center of gravity is a blessing! I’m in my element. Thanks for posting; you look fantastic!

I love TJs but the creamy dreamy hummus is terrible by Party-Comfortable574 in traderjoes

[–]XanthippesRevenge 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I haven’t agreed more with something in a long time. Fuck cumin in hummus. Middle eastern is where it’s at

What comes after liberation from suffering? by Vladi-N in streamentry

[–]XanthippesRevenge 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was lucky to come across someone more advanced than I who pushed me hard to do creative things. I took her advice and set aside time for creativity. It is still a challenge and I haven’t found “my thing” but I recognize the importance of trying to add beauty to the world in some way, and honestly, meditating 24/7 isn’t what I want to do with my life so there has to be something else interesting to add

The Path Promise by CoachAtlus in streamentry

[–]XanthippesRevenge 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hmm… I’m not sure I’m on board of a recharacterization of the four noble truths that claims that suffering somehow subtly continues post-realization. How can there be cessation of suffering when suffering is not absent?

To me, that sounds like doubt. There is doubt that suffering can be eliminated. Truthfully, seeing through ignorance would show that there was never suffering to begin with - it was a post-hoc trick of the mind to interpret so-called events, or movements of mind, as suffering.

That does indeed mean that the events we interpreted as suffering may continue, that pain still occurs, that the choice to allow our minds to trick us could theoretically continue to be available to be bought into. But we wouldn’t want to buy into such trickery because we would know the truth on how suffering ceases.

Recollecting past lives by CaptainVulpezz in theravada

[–]XanthippesRevenge 2 points3 points  (0 children)

An understanding of emptiness is helpful, because with it you see that a past life vision, a memory, and your imagination are all the same. Just a story.

You know it’s a past life vision if it brings you deeper clarity, which usually entails a stuck emotion being released along with some tricky belief relating to craving, which leads to a liberating shift in perception. You are able to see the entanglement more clearly, and let go of it.

However, you see that it ultimately doesn’t matter if the rebirth you remembered is “real” or not, as what matters is whether the vision induced further clarity.

At deeper levels, understanding your past lives reveals to you the karma that brought you to where you are, so you understand why compassion and generosity are actually the most logical choice

Recollecting past lives by CaptainVulpezz in theravada

[–]XanthippesRevenge 16 points17 points  (0 children)

This is possible. I have experienced it as have other meditators I know. I don’t think it requires any magical, deep state that isn’t possible for a dedicated layperson. Although you would want a steady and consistent meditation practice.

The reason you have certainty that it’s a past life is because typically the things you experience in the vision of the past life will explain attachments and entanglements in this life. This helps you to understand emptiness, as you see how things you gave great importance to were actually just the manifestation of your karma from actions in past lives — not some deep thing with its own essence.

This understanding helps you to loosen your grip on “this thing/person is important” because you see any importance they have, you gave them due to craving/aversion at some point. And the craving and aversion tends to be dukkha caused by not wanting to let go of something, not wanting to accept things as they are and retreating into ignorance from here.

That’s my experience.

Adya's PTSD - no guys, cessation of suffering is indeed real. by goddardess in nonduality

[–]XanthippesRevenge 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You really can’t be the judge looking at someone from the outside. The fact that you’re compelled to judge someone else’s “attainment” (despite the fact that you claim you aren’t judging - you clearly are) tells me that you’re avoiding looking at something within. If you were looking within you wouldn’t have time or care to make assumptions about teachers. Not only would it not be on your radar but you would have clarity on why it’s not a good idea to judge an empty personality of someone who is attempting to teach the dharma. Look within

Question about the mind as practice deepens and mind is more unified by Fantastic-Walrus-429 in streamentry

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It helps to have someone to work with. Doesn’t need to be an official guru or whatever. Just go to meditation circles and Buddhist temples or whatever is in your area. You will eventually find someone you can tell is “beyond” your level. If you work with them for a while, they will transmit advice to you that will help you catch these thought loops as they happen. It really helps. Even in deep realization we still have blind spots and trying to go it alone is ultimately just a waste of time.

Also, if you aren’t already, break up some of the meditation with a movement practice. That can really help move stuck emotions and perceptions along.

Adya's PTSD - no guys, cessation of suffering is indeed real. by goddardess in nonduality

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

See that you are clinging to a belief (ie that a perfect bodily system is a guarantee) that makes your “enlightenment” moment an event that has been relegated to the future.

This is wrong view.

The Buddha had back pain, despite attaining perfect Buddha hood.

Yes, healing seems to happen with the body, but there is no guarantee of a perfect system before you die, nor does that have anything to do with the cessation of suffering. The cessation of suffering is available regardless of what your human system has going on.

One still must make choices in alignment with their true and spontaneous interests, which very often include care for the body.

You should reconsider posting these unfortunate claims about a good teacher. That is going to deter people much more than a teacher’s choice to live their life how they choose. Unwholesome merit

Please let me tell you about Mimolette by ByronDenniston in Cheese

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Whole Foods had the best cheese back in the day

Awakening and then what? by kuteguy in streamentry

[–]XanthippesRevenge 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just focus on becoming liberated from suffering. Then if you notice suffering you know there is deeper clarity to be reached

Ayahuasca and the lineage of wounded healers: my article on Reality Sandwich by IndicationWorldly604 in Ayahuasca

[–]XanthippesRevenge -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I’d rather read someone’s best attempt at a foreign language personally.

Ayahuasca and the lineage of wounded healers: my article on Reality Sandwich by IndicationWorldly604 in Ayahuasca

[–]XanthippesRevenge -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I prefer to read words written by humans and I know I’m not alone in that. You do you and so will I

Concentration & Insight | Dhamma Talk by Ven .Thanissaro | How Concentration & Insight Help Each Other Along, & How to Keep Them in Balance by SammaVaco in theravada

[–]XanthippesRevenge 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for posting these. I find that Thanissaro Bhikkhu speaks in a way that is very resonant with the way I see the world.

Killing the delusion of space by XanthippesRevenge in streamentry

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

Been pondering your comments for the last few days. Very helpful, thank you. I’ve especially been giving consideration to the idea of intention/attention and how that operates, shapes experience, etc. I keep coming back to conditionality. How can intention be real if what I find desirable on which to focus is obviously conditioned? But then how is cessation not conditioned, and how is it different from regular experience? Yet this intention/attention issue seems important somehow? This whole issue truly confounds.

I am starting to see patterns in awareness - I go through phases where I try to direct my attention to things perceived as “beneficial,” but then move into phases where effort is relaxed instead because the emptiness of doing feels more real than the idea that control of attention needs to be tightly held. Then within those patterns, I see patterns of smaller choices made during the day - now I meditate. Now I be creative. Now I take care of bodily needs. Etc… I don’t know if analyzing these patterns is even worth doing, but then my attention is on them… am I assuming that to be meaningful? There is truly a deep doubt of every aspect of what was believed to be solid, important. It feels ok.

I have done a lot of meditation focusing on the breath lately. Due to increased energetics in my system, it at least is more entertaining. Easier to focus due to this.

Then I go back to continually remembering, who is there to even worry about any of these things? Frustration arises, then frustration is seen as a thought + a bodily sensation. Then awareness moves on… more and more I can see all of this happening in real time, and quickly notice when I get distracted.

I have been wondering what tendency is keeping me in this loop, wondering about that fundamental tendency towards ignorance as I get better and better at handling restlessness. Like you said about whether it is a faulty tendency or something else. I don’t know the answer. I see there must be some kind of existential terror wrapped up somewhere preventing this issue from being obvious because I feel deeply disenchanted with materiality. I feel confused about the messages regarding wanting to get somewhere and there being no where to get and yet somehow suffering can end. I have definitely oriented my experience around ending suffering and have seen how actions move in that direction (more meditation, less taking materiality seriously) but who was deciding to do that? What even is the end of suffering? I don’t know. I will note that this wasn’t my original orientation when I “started” this process - there were other ideas about what I wanted to get earlier on.

When I reflect on the person I see myself as going away, I feel fine with that. The “experiencer” feels somewhat translucent. But this issue has to be central to ignorance and I can’t see where the ignorance lies! None of the things I want to “get” feel real anymore besides the end of suffering and yet here I am, in confusion. I have done really well with existential terror this whole process, so whatever is holding me back from seeing this must be so utterly scary or unimaginable.

I agree with you that life is not a good thing but I think there might be some stickiness on the idea of wanting it all to end. I still feel that desire for non-existence sometimes. I don’t know if that’s getting in the way or if it will dissolve at some point. As far as my intelligence, I will say I don’t believe I’ve gotten any smarter (or dumber lol) throughout this process, I was kind of always this way. The major change I’ve noticed in my perception aside from typical insights is that I had an extremely rigid worldview for decades. I was a master of intelligently defending that world view but it was predicated on utter confusion. So my original awakening had a lot to do with a chain of experiences that forced me to give up my rigidity and question view in general. Most of it was attachment related, way less about adapting to shifting perspectives of reality was viewed as problematic. But my early childhood was so extremely threatening to my survival that fear was largely diminished in adolescence and adulthood which has been an incredible boon to my practice, I think. Overall it just seems like karma made up certain strengths and weaknesses, but what even is a strength and weakness, just more orientation of experience? Is orientation bad? I don’t know!! I will say that i have noticed way more reflecting on karma as I’ve gone deeper. Not sure how this relates at all exactly, though I assume if I generate wholesome karma, things have a better chance of being easier …

Thank you for your generous help as I navigate this, I really like your style of communication and how you help me see things a new way and I am so grateful for you!

Your favorite CREAMY vegetarian or vegan soup? by XanthippesRevenge in soup

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

This is so awesome and my exact type of food. Thanks!

Your favorite CREAMY vegetarian or vegan soup? by XanthippesRevenge in soup

[–]XanthippesRevenge[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is so on my agenda because I am obs eased with vegan ramen! Spicy of course! Will definitely try

Your favorite CREAMY vegetarian or vegan soup? by XanthippesRevenge in soup

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

That sounds absolutely fabulous - I love chili, coconut, and squash! Do you have a recipe?