So, a few months ago while meditating I was given some very basic

>>19354926
Hey yeaaahh

>>19354926
The easiest way to begin to tame (or at least recognize) your own ego is to fast from things that stimulate it for a week. Just a few days, even. Note your cravings, suppress or control them, and take focus in what you do consume.

>Sugar
>Soda
>Food you haven't made yourself
>Television
>Video Games
>Gossip
>Sex

No, I'm not preaching abstinence. Think about what you are a slave towards. Break the cycle just for a moment and you'll feel your confirmation.

>>19354926
Mild schizophrenia maybe?

>>19354926
Mental disorder or trigger word to show casual readers this post contains something worthwhile?

>>19354926
>4. Do not crave materialistic goals
Yeah lose all currency and live in the streets
Hasn't your spirit walked our streets lately? It's impossible to live in a city and not crave a place to live in.

>>19354926
Some people in this thread will talk down to you. I enjoyed your thread and several points I will attempt to employ in my own life, so for that, I thank you.

I'm currently having a hard time quitting cigarettes and the occasional fap. I track my progress and usually fall to temptation every 4th or 5th day. Any advice?

Do you really think any of this info wasn't known by everyone already? This is the most basic shit from every religion and self help guide

>>19355236
Though he doesn't specify, it's implied in excess. There is nothing wrong with survival. There is something morally questionable with a couple living in a 5 bed / 4 bath, 5200sqft lakeside house.

>>19355252
Does he offer something better than the happiness provided by materialistic pleasures such as luxury food or a rocking red 2016 sports ferrari?

>>19355247
Don't think it's all or nothing.

If you take pleasure in smoking or fapping or watching TV, learn to tame it. By being able to quit longer than a day, you've done that.

Now think about the emotions you feel or block when doing that action. Can you circumvent that? Can you smoke more natural tobacco without the toxic filters or papers of cigarettes? Can you fap to your mind's eye rather than porn?

These mediums are the very thing extremists like "lol wow you can't do that because of this one extreme option" are trying to prevent you from realizing are available.

Compromise with your ego, become master over it, and you will derive strength from its focus.

>>19355273
I'm not OP, but notice the paradoxical nature of pleasure. Often times you seek materialistic pleasure but it will never be enough. Usually, things that give you pleasure are toxic in excess, so I'm guessing that's what OP means by controlling your ego.

>>19354926
>Anger -> Calmness
>Vengance -> Forgiveness
>Falsehood -> Truth
>Envy -> Self-improvement
>Lazyness -> Excercise
>Pride -> Humility
>Gluttony -> Meditation

These totally aren't 7 deadly sins and 7 virtues of Christianity

>>19354926
Think about it, folks.

All major religions somehow point to or glorify the "killing" or rather the taming of the ego. You can find "how-to's" in all of them. Buddha, Jesus, Taoism, Hermiticism, etc.

Everyone has an ego. Only some can pause enough to know it, tame it, and control it.

>>19355236
This is one I had trouble understanding, specifically because of what you say. The word "craving" was the key, though. A craving is a momentary desire that can reappear after being satisfied. You crave sugar. You crave validation. You dont crave a home to sleep in or safety for your family, for these things (land and non-agression) are basic societal structural goals that can be achieved and then built upon.

>>19355273
Im not good with words so bear with me and tell me what you think:
Imagine injecting yourself with heroin right now. Imagine the dirty needle, the burned spoon and the scar from the puncture. Its safe to assume that for you, this wouldn't sound like a particularly enticig experience, but if you were in a certain state of being (year long heroin addict) this mental image would bring you great pleasure. Do you feel the wish to inject heroin right now? You dont, and neither do I, because in order to desire it, you need to have tried it first. Now look at it from the perspective of the junkie. What would he be willing to do, what price would he pay to be able to go from his state of being to our state of being with the snap of a finger? How valuable is a human being before and after a heroin addiction? What price would the cirrhotic alcoholic pay to rid himself of his desire for drinking? Desire is the reason suffering exists. We suffer because we desire things. To live without desires is to live in a world with no bad experiences at all, much like heaven or nirvana.

>>19354926
Thanks for your message OP. It may not be considered perfect for all here, but I imagine it inspired you and maybe others to grow. Thats perfection in my book. I hope you continue on your journey.

>>19354926
I have found that a remedy for anger is non-expectation. Is it not true that the source of all rage is an expectation that others don't meet? (I genuinely would like to know if this is not the case for anyone.)

And so by not making extensive plans, requiring each step to be carried out according their own expectations of others, a person bypasses the need for rage altogether.

>>19355318
they aren't

7 deadly sins are

anger
-
-
envy
laziness
pride
gluttony

lust and greed

>>19355487
no u

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>>19354926
>reject your ego

there is no such thing as selflessness. you are either a conscious egoist or an unconscious egoist. Everything you say and do caters to your ego weather you like it or not.

>Vengance -> Forgiveness

this one is touchy. i don't feel angry only hurt but i feel the need to teach my abusers a lesson regardless or at least make them suffer with me. Being peaceful won't stop evil. I like the saying "Speak softly and carry a big stick"

>>19355320
it's fine if you are putting your ego in the right direction of kindness and righteousness.

>>19354926
>it happened in a fraction of a second, after which it felt as if coming out of a very lengthy conversation
Sounds like your future self contacted you.

This seems like the values I had before I found Christ. If you are from the western world I would recommend Christianity as it works in harmony with western thought and produce real long lasting growth.

Good thread, keep it up.

>>19354926
Vengance -> Forgiveness

Nah you got that one wrong. If people don't fear repercussions then most will use and abuse you. It's human nature.

If "Jesus" was a bit more Machiavellian he probably wouldn't have ended up on the cross.

Thats not to say that forgivness or notcaringenoughtodoanythingness is always the wrong choice. You have to find a balance.

>>19355250
Yeah but normal people are stupid. Logic doesn't convince them. Everyone knows how to make their life far better but they don't.

In my experience if you simplify and shorten your language along with only bringing up complicated subjects when it's related to the conversation, people think your very intelligent. If not your labeled as severely autistic. I spent nearly my whole life with that label. And now everyone atleast pretends to like me just because I heavily moderate what I say. Makes me a bit sad, no wonder why normies often feel so isolated, alone even with dozens of friends.

>>19355231
kek

>>19356936
Agreed.
Basically, you should be capable of cruelty, but you should only be cruel when necessary.
If you are absolutely incapable of being cruel, you're bound to be used and exploited by evil people.
Besides, there's more virtue in deciding not to be cruel when you have the capacity for it.

>>19357060
>Besides, there's more virtue in deciding not to be cruel when you have the capacity for it.

Everyone has the capacity to be cruel, whether they choose to exercise it or not. So by your own logic, never being cruel would be the most virtuous path.

>>19356936
But that would change the entire point of his message. There is a spiritual existence beyond the influence of worldly powers. He was showing that he didn't fear others who could kill him, because he had transcended the life and death of the body through the power of love and spiritual connection with god.

>>19355950
You have either recently read seneca or you should give him a try sometime.

>>19357148
Well that sounds lovely but in realty we have to use what we've got. Evil/shitty people rule the world for a reason. Good people in general have an issue with using some of their tactics in fear of being corrupted. In turn they are easily out manuevered.

Thank you. A good reminder. Very encouraging.

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Thank you for sharing this OP sending good vibes your way.

>>19354926
I've been meditating and recently contacted by extraterrestrials, I've been taught that the only way to be save the universe and your soul is to tell the truth

Think about this. What would you feel if you had everything in life and died? Would it make you happy? Would you honestly care? Take a moment and don't think for a second. Just ask the question then meditate and drown out all other thoughts. Its difficult but try to focus on your breathing and let the breathing be as it is. Sink to the depth of the earths core in your mind... It's light because of the pressure yes? Now gently put your fingers in your ears and drown out all the noise. We bury our demons and when we sink down to see them they're illuminated. Try this and try and see the deeper meaning in what you perceive. Your mind goes automatically to the darkest place but down there your demons are illuminated.