BootsnAll Travel Community

I am interested in what interests you?

In your personal and spiritual search is there an area or specific topic or question that you are currently working towards, or seeking the answer to?

If not...waht are you generally seeking right now?

Any recent growth or awareness you've made, that you'd care to share?

I guess what I am asking here...

Where are you currently at in your personal life quest?

If you could ask 3 questions of the universe...what would they be?

What is the hardest part of being a seeker?

Answer one or all, but please share who you are and where you are at.

This forum was designed for sharing matters that you care about...and this is your "up."

What say you?

ok old hippy, i'll take you up on this request.

music, travel, and being close to family and friends is what interests me the most. it's just oh so hard to be a part of everyone's life when they are all scattered across the globe. i want to be everywhere at once, thus mostly feel lost and/or nowhere at the same time.

i suppose i'm wondering if i have a specific purpose in the world, and what it could be, or if it's all self defined, and when i'll find it. i also want to believe there is more to life than what is presented, something you have to see through, to get what's it's all really about. i don't particularily like where the world is going, yet feel semi-helpless in what i can offer, to provide the radical change it needs.

this brings me to realise that maybe the earth/god or whatever will eventually sort it's self out on it's own accord. and that we only have control over our own paths.

i believe i am currently at a point of discovery in my life, i've reached the climax of all that society can offer, and now it's all a matter of breaking free and fing out what it all means to me.

my three questions would be: why? why? and why? even the most devine answers that we recieve can seem pointless in the end, but maybe that's just it, who knows.

the hardest part of being a seeker is finding a common ground with people around you, or those who are more accustomed to social standards. there's just too much scrutiny, which prevents positive feedback, thus prolonging personal discovery and/or the time it takes for you to make the choices you need.

it's a shame that the easiest place to find like minded individuals is on the internet, and not next door, or even in the house where you live.

i hope i'll find the strength to make the choices i need to make, when i need to make them, over the next few intense months. and that i figure at least a part of the puzzle out for myself.

i hope this was suffice old hippy, nice idea btw

-bym

im currently dealing with how to learn from unexpected/unwanted sources. ive realized that such interactions happen for a reason, and i try to stay open-minded. its hard to when they start to speak on your behalf, and tell you your beliefs (and whats wrong with them), without ever asking you what your stance is in the first place. "i" am always trying to expand my sense of self, but find i slip often, and by choice every time. i have the knowledge of being the trees, but when i look at it, i dont live it. the understanding isnt quite there, im just not quite living it yet. i also realize that what i experience, leads me to higher levels. i find i still analyze FAR too much on how it should be, or how its going to be, etc etc. i think that may be the core of many of my problems, is knowing that its perfect as it is, but not understanding/living it.

there are a few "hardest parts" currently. one is transforming knowledge into experience, as i stated a bit before about the trees. another is dealing with my suffering. anything thats happened recently, i find i deal with, and accept, with open arms. but, when i delve into the past, i find some old wounds that simply hurt more, that i havent entirely come to terms with. the last is accepting people as they are. almost everyone i see has no concern with anything other than the bodies they currently "inhabit." work. produce. consume. and it seems the majority never even question it, or seemingly, anything at all. and when they do, it seems its with blinders on their eyes, seeing what we want, and nothing else. now, this ties in above, many in my life will come to me, and criticise and tell me where im at, where i should go, and how i should change. its a large source of frustration, but i could learn from their acceptance. another difficulty is getting in touch with my emotions again, they were almost entirely shut down because of certain events, and i want to feel again! my acts and words lack passion.. im also dealing with my effect on energy. i find myself shorting circuits, blowing lights, causing energy surges, breaking electronic devices, etc etc. its something i have no insight on, and because of that, is a source of frustration. it is the way it is, but i find i must always question why... even when i know things simply arent that way. why does the sun shine? another thing (wow, didnt realize i had so many! and im sure i have more, ha) is not having anyone to share things with. every time i try and transfer any of this out, its met not just with resistance, but with aggression towards me. sometimes its hard to know you are everything, but feel entirely alone.

if i could ask three questions? well, i was given the opportunity about a year ago to have such questions answered, and i simply shook my head. i do the same now.

id love to share recent realizations, but to be truthful, they arent things that can be transferred in words. for as much as i want to, that is how they must be.

quote:

Originally posted by oldhippy:

I guess what I am asking here...

Where are you currently at in your personal life quest?

If you could ask 3 questions of the universe...what would they be?

What is the hardest part of being a seeker?

Answer one or all, but please share who you are and where you are at.

Currently I'm once again at a very interesting time in my life: I'm running out of money to live, but I'm still refusing to drop everything to get a "Job" just to pay rent.

It's interesting because I have gradually unclenched my fist at the prevailing rules of the world that I live in. I have expressed my distaste for the power of money only to realize that by being on the opposing side, I'm still honoring it, still giving it power by recognizing its importance as an obstacle. No matter how much I think it's wrong, I'm living on ITS terms.

So, now I'm just waiting to see what it's going to be like to be down to the last dollar. How will I pay for my food and apartment, and how those around me who have been putting up with my stubborness will finally get to say, "I told you so!"

In the mean time, I'm doing work for free for something I believe in. I'm also training everyday in martial arts so that my body/mind connection is solid.

I figure there must be a reason I'm feeling the way I do. It can be that tomorrow I will die of some bizzard accident, in which case, I'd say I did pretty well in using up all my resources.

OR

Something will come through that will see me through another period of time, so there's no need to panic.

If it's the first one, I can honestly say that I'm ready and I've no regrets (I'm about done with my 401 K, ha ha)

If it's the 2nd one, then I can say I'm ready because i've been living it all this time. I won't change how I live with additional funds. Others around me might get to when I share, but i'm pretty much good the way I am now.

In any case, I'm keeping my eyes open, and trying not to get too swept up in the occasional panic. If it's a long fall to the ground I want to see every line of the earth before I crash..., sort of speak.

quote:

Originally posted by HLing:

quote:

Originally posted by oldhippy:

I guess what I am asking here...

Where are you currently at in your personal life quest?

If you could ask 3 questions of the universe...what would they be?

What is the hardest part of being a seeker?

Answer one or all, but please share who you are and where you are at.

Currently I'm once again at a very interesting time in my life: I'm running out of money to live, but I'm still refusing to drop everything to get a "Job" just to pay rent.

It's interesting because I have gradually unclenched my fist at the prevailing rules of the world that I live in. I have expressed my distaste for the power of money only to realize that by being on the opposing side, I'm still honoring it, still giving it power by recognizing its importance as an obstacle. No matter how much I think it's wrong, I'm living on ITS terms.

So, now I'm just waiting to see what it's going to be like to be down to the last dollar. How will I pay for my food and apartment, and how those around me who have been putting up with my stubborness will finally get to say, "I told you so!"

In the mean time, I'm doing work for free for something I believe in. I'm also training everyday in martial arts so that my body/mind connection is solid.

I figure there must be a reason I'm feeling the way I do. It can be that tomorrow I will die of some bizzard accident, in which case, I'd say I did pretty well in using up all my resources.

OR

Something will come through that will see me through another period of time, so there's no need to panic.

If it's the first one, I can honestly say that I'm ready and I've no regrets (I'm about done with my 401 K, ha ha)

If it's the 2nd one, then I can say I'm ready because i've been living it all this time. I won't change how I live with additional funds. Others around me might get to when I share, but i'm pretty much good the way I am now.

In any case, I'm keeping my eyes open, and trying not to get too swept up in the occasional panic. If it's a long fall to the ground I want to see every line of the earth before I crash..., sort of speak.

it seems we are, once again, in alignment. its interesting..

quote:

In your personal and spiritual search is there an area or specific topic or question that you are currently working towards, or seeking the answer to?

Currently, my big question is, what is my purpose? I mean, is there a gift that I have to "give back" to the universe?Not so much in an altruistic way, more a fulfilling of my life's plan way, if you know what I mean.

quote:

Any recent growth or awareness you've made, that you'd care to share?

Security is an illusion; if you live your life with security as your only goal, you are bound to fail.

Total independence is an illusion; we are all interdependent on each other.

My mother is not half as clueless as I thought she was when I was 16.

quote:

If you could ask 3 questions of the universe...what would they be?

What's my purpose? (see above)
Why is there so much suffering in the world?
Is chocolate one of the major food groups, and if not why not?

quote:

What is the hardest part of being a seeker?

Loneliness.

Plus the frown lines I am going to get from thinking too much.

I want to thank all who have replied so far.

I am very impressed by each one of you who had the guts to answer!

I want to in time, respond to each poster individually, so I will start with autumleaf and move up from there.

autumleaf...I smiled reading your post! I guess when you see some of yourself in another, you can't help but love them as well!

If I was to tell you, what you have written is totally classic to the hardships/concerns of a seeker...would you believe me if I told you: You are not alone on this journey...even if you think you are?

Did you know... Buddhism was formed by another seeker who also was concerned about what you are concerned about...and his enlightenment was fueled by>>>>contemplaiting suffering?

And I'll tell you personally that coming to an acceptance & total understanding of "lonliness" is just as important!

...For beyond suffering is understanding and acceptance...and beyond lonliness is solitude and oneness.

You are right on track...and you are hangin with the big dogs...meaning you are in very good company!

Your purpose in life is as clear as can be to me.

You are a true seeker of the truth...and by actively seeking the truth...you are destined to find your full and true purpose and set your spirit free!

Anything we can do to give aid and comfort to you while on this journey...all you need to do is ask!

We are here for you!

Vaya con dios!

You are already more than half way there!

The light that shines ahead, shines for you!

quote:

Originally posted by sinahptik:

it seems we are, once again, in alignment. its interesting..

Things may or may not be what they appear. Interesting, nevertheless.

i'll shoot.

i guess what i'm really seeking right now is some sort of connection in this world or better yet that high you get when your giving love and recieving it.lately it just seems as though people are becoming so self absorbed and hostile towards one another that there forgetting what life is about just being.

i guess thats what i truly admire about the flower children of the 60's is how they just seemed so connected to each other and the universe,words can't describe how beautiful that is to me.it wasn't there long hair or tie die shirts that made them hip it was there inner beauty and the love that they gave that made them hip.

nowadays though it just seems like my generation is trashing those ideals for there own self gain and everytime i realize this it just makes me cringe thinking of how the worlds changing for the worst.everytime i look at the way my generation acts and how so many of us have a negative hateful attitude it just reminds me of grumpy old men/women and isn't very youthful in my eyes at all.

so basically what im seeking most right now is peace and love and a world not so dependent on material things and self gain.

PS:i don't mean to generalise all old folks as being grumpy as thats not the case it was just more of a comparison sort of thing.

Howdy All,

At the moment I am concentrating on looking internally. I am trying to focus on things I can control rather than being concerned about things I can't.

I am reviewing cause and effect - my reactions and others reactions to events and I am begining to get a greater understanding of my nature and human nature in general.

My questions:

If we are all interconnected then why are some of us so unconnected - to the point of hurting and harming others?

I know our feelings are here for a reason - but some feelings are detrimental to our own well being (eating that whole block of chocolate for example) If we have total acceptance of ourselves and our being then where is the line or the balance between our own feelings/desires and those of the greater good?

and why does chocolate taste soooo good?

I think the hardest part of being a seeker is that we are not taking the easy road - we are not being ignorant. We do not maintain the state of comfort or the state of bliss that ignorance requires. But on the long road the truth will set us free.

quote:

My questions:

If we are all interconnected then why are some of us so unconnected - to the point of hurting and harming others?

I see two factors that come into play to answer your Q.

The first is: "You go... from what you know"

The second is:

"Life consists of multiple levels of awareness simultaniously."

...from the lowest low, to the highest high...and everything in between.

I started off wanting to explain more on these two points...but I would rather push the envelope and hear what you all have to say.

From your point of view:

What do these 2 statements above have to do with mans inhumainity to man?

Right now, I'm broke and have to accept that I might not be able to travel for awhile(even on a little trip). Yet, through my efforts I can overcome this obstacle, just need more discipline.

These are just my thoughts. Your mileage might vary.

quote:

Originally posted by Howdy Captain:
At the moment I am concentrating on looking internally. I am trying to focus on things I can control rather than being concerned about things I can't.

I can relate to this so much. Sometimes I get so caught up with things happening out in the "big bad world" (like the tsunami or the NO floods) that I don't see what I can do in my own "little world" (like helping a friend who just needs someone to talk to).

quote:

Originally posted by Howdy Captain:
If we are all interconnected then why are some of us so unconnected - to the point of hurting and harming others?

Part of the explanation may come from evolution. We are descended from creatures who were good at surviving and passing on their genes. Since we are social animals, part of this survival involved co-operating with others. Groups of hunters and gatherers had more success in getting food (and therefore surviving) than those who tried to go it alone. It was also easier to find a mate if you practiced a little give-and-take

But another part of this survival involved competition with others. For example, if you could take territory, food, or mates from another, you would be more likely to survive. So we have genes that favour altruism in some situations and selfishness in others.

But although I believe that genes influence behaviour, I do not believe we are their prisoners. We can use the "good" side of our nature and control the "bad" side. For example, many religions or groups like the flower children encourage us to see each other as "brothers and sisters". We naturally feel protective and kindly towards family members. The trick is to extend this natural feeling to people we aren't so closely related to.

quote:

Originally posted by Howdy Captain:
I know our feelings are here for a reason - but some feelings are detrimental to our own well being (eating that whole block of chocolate for example) If we have total acceptance of ourselves and our being then where is the line or the balance between our own feelings/desires and those of the greater good?

and why does chocolate taste soooo good?

In the words of an old Northern English saying, "a little of what you fancy does you good". A few squares of chocolate are actually good for your well being. They increase "happiness" chemicals and provide important nutrients. But go beyond that limit, and the balance shifts. This goes for all kinds of good things: chocolate, alcohol, sunlight, sex

quote:

Originally posted by Howdy Captain:
I think the hardest part of being a seeker is that we are not taking the easy road - we are not being ignorant. We do not maintain the state of comfort or the state of bliss that ignorance requires. But on the long road the truth will set us free.

Sometimes I think I could be so much happier if I didn't know some things. For example, if I could believe that people were always good, or that disease didn't exist, or that following the rules of one particular religion would guarantee a place in heaven. But maybe happiness is not the goal. Or maybe true happiness is something more than just feeling good.

The more I know, the more I realise I don't know

Howdy to all.

Thanks for the insight, Autumn leaf.

That's very true when you say that a large part of behaviour is due to our animal instincts and without competition and the desire to do better we would not evolve.

Just like chocolate and sex - a little bit of competition is healthy but it becomes unhealthy when pushed to the limits.

I guess at the moment I'm doing those internal calculations and trying to figure a good balance for me.

But I was also wondering how some people can take friendly competition overboard and turn it into maliciousness and nastiness.

And from Old Hippys comments:

1. Humans are creatures of comfort we repeat what we know and we get stuck in certain patterns of behaviour. It is a lot easier to be ignorant than to look internally and question our motivations and change our behaviour.

2. People are on different levels of conciousness - some people don't realise that harming others is in reality harming yourself. Some people don't realise that when you put someone down you do not appear to be a better person.

There will always be people that harm and hurt - these people are ignorant and are unaware of what their actions are doing.

Therefore there has to be a range of conciousness - there has to be higher and lower conciousnesses for things to balance.

Oh and Autumn Leaf, I have also been thinking about what you said about happiness and I agree that happiness is an emotion - it is about feeling good. And you're right that is not the goal - its more than that. Its a mix of atonement, acceptance, love and truth. Autumn Leaf - a huge cheers to you for mentioning that.

Right on Howdy!

I really enjoyed what you had to say!

Onward and upward!

...or, here is what the destination sign on the hippie bus said:

Furthur!

the solution to my problem? i didnt feel like i was "living" it quite simply because i wasnt. how obvious some answers are!

quote:

Things may or may not be what they appear. Interesting, nevertheless

couldnt have said it better myself, hahaha.

quote:

Originally posted by sinahptik:....im also dealing with my effect on energy. i find myself shorting circuits, blowing lights, causing energy surges, breaking electronic devices, etc etc...

I hadn't had much problem with energy for a while. It used to be that my normally perfectly functional watch would suddenly go into some weird time zone if I had some sort of emotional surge, whether happy or sad. After all trouble shooting, (is the battery dying? is the watch too cheap?" I've found no real answers.

So, I started wearing watches away from my wrist. Ring watch, pen watch, little keychain watch. Then one day, all 3 that were on my person just each went a different direction. Usaully at least 4 hours ahead or behind. No idea why. Still a bit spooked.

It happened again a couple of days ago. This time my watch had days of the week as well as the time. So, somehow my watch had stopped at a couple of days later, and at 4 pm. Well, when that time arrived, I had a very emotional arguement with someone.

I don't know why the body reacts this way, but I'm quite sure we are not the only ones.

quote:

Originally posted by HLing:

quote:

Originally posted by sinahptik:....im also dealing with my effect on energy. i find myself shorting circuits, blowing lights, causing energy surges, breaking electronic devices, etc etc...

I hadn't had much problem with energy for a while. It used to be that my normally perfectly functional watch would suddenly go into some weird time zone if I had some sort of emotional surge, whether happy or sad. After all trouble shooting, (is the battery dying? is the watch too cheap?" I've found no real answers.

So, I started wearing watches away from my wrist. Ring watch, pen watch, little keychain watch. Then one day, all 3 that were on my person just each went a different direction. Usaully at least 4 hours ahead or behind. No idea why. Still a bit spooked.

It happened again a couple of days ago. This time my watch had days of the week as well as the time. So, somehow my watch had stopped at a couple of days later, and at 4 pm. Well, when that time arrived, I had a very emotional arguement with someone.

I don't know why the body reacts this way, but I'm quite sure we are not the only ones.

im sure we arent the only ones too. my friend has some issues as well. im not really sure -what- causes things to change. i know its energy interacting, but just dont have any idea why it causes things to actually malfunction. i dont know about you, but ive never had it actually make something work better (faster, maybe)... but i may not have noticed it do something like that either. i feel it might be directed, but im not entirely sure how to exercise it. for me, its not only during emotional extremes, but also just if im driving down the road. no matter what the length of drive is, at least one streetlight will go out. im not entirely in touch with my emotions though, so there may be a constant residual "charge" from that. im interested to hear if anyone one else has experiences with such things!