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Sitkaa Member
Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 02:47 pm: |
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In an empty room I reminds myself: "There is no I" An echo comes back: "I is" Love is always the way
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Sitkaa Member
Post Number: 63 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 03:25 pm: |
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In an empty expanse I reminds myself "There is no I" Love is Love is always the way
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Adysor Member
Post Number: 181 Registered: 03-2008
| Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 12:14 am: |
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Dear Sitkaa, I admit I take pleasure from discussions such as these (worthless or not) and I thank you for putting some of your thoughts on the "table". "is 'I' in control of I?" The creator of 'I' is in control of I. Now we need to determine what is the creator of 'I'. Is it knowledge? Is it thought? Is it experience? What is it? "is 'I' 'I'?" .....What the 'I' learns about the 'I' is false because it is 'I' and it changes constantly. The question seems irrelevant because 'I' can't learn anything about 'I'(itself) because it is that and there is no need to learn anything. Whatever 'I' does is 'I'.... It can do anything and it is still 'I'. 'I' is individuality and separation. If 'I' is knowledge(in the memory) or thought ... then 'I' is influenced only by outside circumstances and shaped by outside forces only. If it is learned from the time of birth till death...then everything 'I' goes through shapes and changes it. 'I' is all the experiences of the mind, thought. It is also personality... 'I' is an idea. 'I' is not 'you'... it is separate, different. So 'I' is not the body. 'I' has its own needs, the body other needs. Sometimes the needs conflict and cause harm to the body. If 'I' is not the body, is 'I' living/alive? So how does 'I' work? (All this is the opinion of the I, myself, it has been influenced over time, otherwise 'I' would have no opinion) 'I' is the ego...... ex. 'I' wants this, 'I' wants that...'I' wants pleasure... the body wants to survive. 'I' includes all the emotions... I love you, I hate you. But somehow 'I' is connected to the body because 'I' feels a lot of pain when the body is physically injured. 'I' also feels pain when its emotions are hurt. 'I' wants the body to feel good, so that 'I' can only feel pleasure, not pain. Coming back to the assumption that 'I' is being shaped by knowledge and thought, thought may be the 'I' itself...this means emotions are thought-induced and therefore shaped/created in the process of growing, by outside "forces". Who is I/me?... I am all the emotions and thoughts and knowledge mixed together...that is 'I'. Those thoughts and knowledge are coming from outside and so 'I' doesn't own anything. 'I' has no power. And so 'I' is not me at all.... 'I' is this bit of knowledge from BEAM and some other bits of knowledge from other people. I am the experiences the body has been through up until this moment. I am constituted in this very conversation we are having... if it has any meaning. "There is no I" .... the is no self.... there is only a collection of knowledge as memory and thoughts. Have I said too much? Adrian.
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Sitkaa Member
Post Number: 64 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, November 04, 2009 - 07:51 am: |
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Adrian, can you say too much? As long as the words are read, the thoughts are communicated, and there is a perspective worthy of attention, then, no, you have not said too much. Else, it is just working things out for yourself on the screen writ large, something we all do. You have asked some questions I will have think about abit. Thanks, ; ) m Love is always the way
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Scott Moderator
Post Number: 1871 Registered: 12-1999
| Posted on Thursday, November 05, 2009 - 05:14 am: |
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Please lets get back to the topic heading. |
   
Enlightenedatlast Member
Post Number: 23 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 11:38 am: |
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Greetings All: It has been a while for me to post anything. Anyhow, I need a little advice. I am a smoker and have been trying to quit for around 6 months. I tried the patch, that made me sicker than all get out. I tried the gum and spent a fortune on it not to mention that I had severe anxiety attacks when using the gum. I tried going cold turkey as many call it and I lashed out at my loved ones and that was not fair to them. Would meditation help me to quit? If so, how should I go about it as a "healing" tool for me to quit? I want and need to do this not only for myself but for my family and every other human around me. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! Salome Amanda |
   
Kingman Member
Post Number: 689 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 10:51 pm: |
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Hi Amanda, I quit smoking nearly 10 years ago. My technique was a little different than most. About 3 months before I finally stopped smoking I made a personal challenge to myself and set a date that would end my habit of two packs plus a week. I choose New Years Eve as that date, as well as advertising my plans to everyone around me to help foster some support. First important change I did on day one was, I changed brands of cigarettes, from Marlboro Reds(chemicals added to keep customers barely satisfied after each smoke), to American Spirits(at the time these were additive-free). These new ones were harder to smoke, and a lot more expensive. Next, I rationed how many cigarettes a week I could smoke and continually spread out the time between smokes. Towards the last month I began to put the cigarette in my mouth and refrain as long as I could from actually lighting it. Once lit, I put out the cigarette once my craving dissolved and disposed of any re-light-able remnants. Many times the cigarette would become un-smokable and become trash. Getting by for just a little bit longer between smokes, did two things. First, it helped lesson that absolute craving that occurs during a cold turkey attempt. Second, it trained myself to stretch further each time to find ways in avoiding giving any attention to the craving effect. And I also banned others from smoking in, or around my home or work area. On New Years Eve, My last cigarette was never even smoked. Soon, food tasted better, my energy was more balanced, my breath and clothes smelt better, I saved additional money by avoiding 'convenience stores' and buying other highly marked up items when getting another pack, as well as receiving respect from others for going through with the plan, it encouraged others to quit(a few did!), and many, many, other benefits. Of course meditation would offer self empowering energies that could greatly help one. a friend in america Shawn
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Indi Member
Post Number: 355 Registered: 06-2006
| Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 11:29 pm: |
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Amanda, You have to decide to be a nonsmoker at a deep level of conviction, in order to successfully and finally quit a habit such as smoking. I have experience as a therapist and as a smoker myself, so have seen it from the many perspectives that can be presented. A person who is still a smoker who is just not smoking, will suffer various sideeffects, and find any excuse to get back into it. I have consistently seen this year after year and know this to be the way most people experience it. Whilst one is attached to being a smoker, it will always be a rough ride with varied side effects. So, all that is required is to dig deep and become a nonsmoker internally first, and it will be easy! That is my experience, and the experience of many of my clients. By stopping when not internally ready, one is asking for suffering. Robyn |
   
Adysor Member
Post Number: 189 Registered: 03-2008
| Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 11:48 pm: |
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Hi Amanda, I'm not sure if meditation can help you with that. And I'm not a smoker but many of my friends and close ones are. But what I can say is that your body is kind of addicted to the nicotine in the cigarette and demands more. I have a friend who reduced the intensity of smoking each day and gradually stopped smoking. If you lash out on people, meditation could probably calm yourself although I'm not sure, maybe some other members can tell you more. I also heard people who can't quit because they are used to hold a cigarette every time they leave the house or something like this. You could chew a regular gum to make your mouth busy. Also avoid being around people who smoke. You need also to tell yourself and have it well printed in your head that you really want to quit smoking and probably over a few weeks you're not smoking anymore (you know be strong in mind as they say). You can use patches for like a week or two and see how you feel. But a sudden stop of smoking might cause harm to the body and you will probably start smoking again as soon as you see a cigarette. Again, I'm not an expert but meditation/concentration would probably get you going through the process. So good luck in your quest to stop smoking. Adrian.
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Indi Member
Post Number: 356 Registered: 06-2006
| Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 01:25 am: |
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oh and I forgot to mention re meditation in your quest. Meditation is of use to most people, in any pursuit including habit breaking, but more in the sense that as you meditate you connect to your inner self more and more, which is where logic and reasoning prevail. To break any habit, it helps to first examine it from all angles, and to see the pros and cons, thus providing one with a reality check. People think habits are difficult to break, and they can appear that way, however, by making a decision to break them, by understanding how they make you a puppet rather than a master of your own destiny, it becomes easier and easier, as one succeeds in stopping various habitual behaviours. Giving up a habit that is not good for you health such as smoking, should be done firstly for yourself, and then secondarily for those you love. If it is the other way around you can see that the logic is missing there, as it is the first priority of any thinking being for survival of the organism for its own sake. It is not logical to want to be healthy for others first, although it does sound worthy at first glance. If one is caught in a habitual behaviour such as smoking, there are likely other such behaviours as well that can be addressed by a general understanding of puppet-slave/master dynamics. In the OM, there is a discussion of habits in relation to human beings, and the downside of same. So, first, you could eg., examine your motivation for smoking, think about how it began, what you gained from it then, as opposed to it now -- and keep looking at you as a person, and see how you would feel if you were free of something like that. You could meditate on the issue and see what comes up for you, but mainly to break a habit, you have to decide when you are going to do it, set a time frame, and prepare yourself for the event by thinking about all the aspects of it. Whatever you do, don't feel guilt or other negative emotions/feelings re smoking. If you are going to engage in something like that, then at least give yourself a break and don't create a cognitive dissonance within, which will lead to other health issues in the process. I wish you well with this. It is not as difficult as we are led to believe when the correct thinking is in place. So get thinking and lookforward to the taking back of your personal power when you achieve this. Robyn |
   
Rarena Member
Post Number: 525 Registered: 10-2005
| Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 05:53 am: |
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Dear Amanda, This is absolutely NOT the place to discuss this subject... that being said... eh eh... I quit by stopping the transition from my hand to my lips... treated it as an oral fixation. A pen works fine. You will love the smell this spring... Also... envision your lungs or lung cancer before you light up, that will stop you. You're obviously an intelligent person, you found this forum didn't you? Yet, this is not the subject area nor forum to discuss this. |
   
Memo00 Member
Post Number: 392 Registered: 03-2004
| Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 06:12 am: |
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hi Amanda Billy was a smoker too in one contact report he mentions that hypnosis and acupuncture can be of some help but ultimately the only thing that you need is willpower good luck |
   
Thomas Member
Post Number: 756 Registered: 03-2004
| Posted on Saturday, November 07, 2009 - 09:09 am: |
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Randy Arena please refrain from acting as a moderator. You opinions are one thing but telling someone where they should or should not post is no one's place except that of a moderator UNLESS someone asks for advice on where to post. You are out of line and I understand that there may be a backlash toward me for saying so, but it is clearly not your job to moderate unless you are now a moderator unannounced. Respectfully but adamantly, Thomas patricksdadinfrance@yahoo.com
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Markcampbell Member
Post Number: 275 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 01:14 am: |
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Elmer Fudd would say "Wewax". Amanda , it's easy to quit smoking . Rather , smoking doesnt exist if you don't do it . It's only smoking if you light it . If you think that it's the hardest thing in the world , so it is . If you think it's like not eating cauliflor anymore , so it is . Society has programmed you into thinking that if they can't hook you on a cigarette , they'll hook you on a patch . What you really think about it is most signficant . For example : I'm looking for any habit that I can start that costs at least $20 a day . When you started it was only $7 a day . Therefore it would be easier to quit for that isolated reason . It's not called stopping smoking ; it's called starting to breathe . Question is , when will you start being hooked on air ? (easy for me to say , right?) Kind Regards , Mark |
   
Earthling Member
Post Number: 311 Registered: 05-2008
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 05:47 am: |
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Amanda ... if you really wanted to quit, you would ... asking for ways, methods to quit is really just a clever self deception to continue smoking ... while one searches for ways to quit, one continues smoking stop looking for ways to quit & as Nike says; 'just do it' |
   
Victor Member
Post Number: 6 Registered: 10-2009
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 12:31 pm: |
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allo, I stop smoking by change cigaret with eat sunflower seeds. That only thing work for me. |
   
Rarena Member
Post Number: 526 Registered: 10-2005
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 12:52 pm: |
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Thomas, To answer your question, no moderator here... am still learning about the material. The moderators are near and dear to my heart as well... keeping the forum steered towards Billy Meier material rather than a platform for personal problems as it has often become in the past... frustrating many... Nipping it in the bud helps us focus on that bud. Focusing on the rules of the forum... is a primary product of meditation and forceable forcelessness in a neutral positive way. Salome... Greetings in Peace and Wisdom |
   
Enlightenedatlast Member
Post Number: 25 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 04:10 pm: |
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Greetings to All: I must first state that I am sorry if I had/have offended anyone with asking for advice. I am aware that society has us all believing something or another with whatever it may be. I am well aware that I have an addiction that I can get rid of. So I was peacefully seeking some clear advice and hey, I did receive the best advice from all of you. It can be difficult to notice unless there are others that love you that say hey, it's all in your head, or use something else to put in your mouth like a pen. I like that one because I do it all the time (with my own personal pen that is), I can take sarcasm and a beating with words. So I accept everything that all of you have said and I choose to take Markcampbell's advice and starting breathing air and not poisons, so to speak. I want to personally thank you all. And thank you scott (moderator)! |
   
Phi_spiral Member
Post Number: 462 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 08:19 pm: |
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Hello Amanda, Here are some additional thoughts which I hope are helpful to you. It is excerpted from Drei Vorträge zur Meditation, Three Lectures About Meditation, a FIGU publication available at their online store: „Meditation ist eine Kontaktaufnahme mit der in jedem Menschen präsenten Kraft.“ "Meditation is an establishment of contact with the strength present in every person." Which strength is this? And how do we manage such an establishment of contact? „Klären wir dies zuerst, denn damit können wir uns eine Motivation schaffen, die es uns erleichtert, ein altes Verhaltensmuster zugunsten eines neuen aufzugeben, ...“ "We discuss this first, because we can create a motivation for ourselves with it to give up an old behavior pattern in favor of a new one..." Let's now assume that we free ourselves, at least for a few minutes daily, from all incriminating evils of the world (anger, stress, worries, etc.) - not to finally turn our backs to the world, but in order to arrange it again with new strength, and to bring over those healing conditions to be found in meditation and introduce them into our everyday life which bitterly needs such affectionate allowance. We start this process by generating rest around something we call consciousness. Then we simply try to approach this strength, openly and neutrally and as carefully as possible, as we would to an absolutely unknown being. And how do we generate a suitable rest in that part of our consciousness where thought goes racing behind thought? By dealing with that part of ourselves, which wants to prevent the meditation. You wait, until the arguments go out by themselves. Simply notice those thoughts that appear during a meditation which are called then foreign thoughts because they do not belong to the meditation. Look at them neither in the positive nor in the negative sense, i.e. you are not angry at it, as this wakes up emotions which are undesirable. Neither should you indulge yourselve in them if you like them, because this has the same undesirable effect. If thoughts come, register simply neutrally that thoughts have arisen and you turn again to the meditation object or continue with the meditation method. I will briefly mention four meditation methods that Billy describes and recommends. The Satipatthäna method is described in detail in his book, Einführung in die Meditation, Introduction to Meditation. You can also find more information about Satipatthäna on the internet for free. And one of the best English language books that I have found on the subject, is The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, by Nyanaponika Thera, ISBN 0-87728-073-8 Billy describes other meditation methods in his book, Die Art zu leben, from which I will briefly mention these three. The first one which he calls one of the simplest and most helpful meditation methods consists of steering the consciousness onto a selected object and in letting the consciousness rest softly on it. The second method is called open or fluent method. With this form one lets the thoughts, emotions and feelings simply come and pass again. One simply observes and allows the thought flow to pass just as if they were waves of the ocean. One may not reach for them, nor feed them, nor indulge in them. One soon notes that thoughts, emotions and feelings come very fast and then pass as a breath of wind. This is the secret of the assembly-line meditation; the fact that one does not think about thought, emotions and feelings and does not try to catch them, but to simply allow their flow and release. This method would probably have the most practical application to quitting the smoking habit. Over time and practice, thoughts such as, “I want a cigarette,” or, “I must have a cigarette,” will loose their importance to you. And thirdly, meditation with a Mantra or simply meditation word. Billy writes that reciting a Mantra is extremely helpful for the person when nervous, disoriented or emotionally unstable. A chanted or recited Mantra transforms the energy and the ambience of the consciousness into a positive mood. However, Billy also warns not to overindulge or become dependent on them. Best known, most valuable and, hence, also most-used Mantra is the monosyllabic OM which is unmatched as a sound symbol for the highest strength of the spirit and the creation itself. Regards Bob |
   
Adysor Member
Post Number: 191 Registered: 03-2008
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 08:51 pm: |
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Rarena, I believe this was tied to meditation and therefore very much in its place. Adrian.
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Justsayno Member
Post Number: 9 Registered: 10-2009
| Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2009 - 08:57 pm: |
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Hi Amanda, try Allen Carr's Easy way to quit smoking. It changes how you think about smoking and when you quit, there are no withdrawal symptoms. Sheila |
   
Edward Member
Post Number: 1525 Registered: 05-2002
| Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - 04:52 am: |
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Hi Amanda.... Welcome to the FIGU Board. I guess, I would agree with Robyn and Mark. One must first learn to KNOW(/Control) Oneself, before knowing HOW to Control another aspect/substance/element. Indeed, go with Meditation - Inward -, into your Deepest...and from here you will learn to control your Material Life and Existence. And from here, One can 'distance' Oneself, from such negative habit as Smoking!! [As can be the case to other related non beneficial, habits!!] And when One has achieved this, One would have/generate the appropriate - Will Power -...to stop smoking. And this too, becomes just another: Mind Over Matter...application. And thus than, One can take the appropriate steps to kick the habit of smoking; a step-by-step processing, of course. And of course, you should not be present in any type of smoking areas, clubs, bars, etc.: this will only have a backfiring affect on you. Thus, avoid such establishments. It worked for me and have not smoked since 1980; begun the new year to stop smoking! As far as I know, it will take about 4-5 years to stop having smoking urges; due to nicotine particles still, present in your lungs; in combination with your Mental/Psyche state. Good luck.... Edward. |
   
Edward Member
Post Number: 1526 Registered: 05-2002
| Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - 04:56 am: |
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Thomas... Will YOU STOP playing Moderator!! I think Randy is doing a very positive job in making the mentioned, to the boardees...known. It is just a Constrictive comment and which WE ALL can Learn from! Some (new) individuals are not yet familiar with...how it all works, here. Thus, it is a very positive Thumbs Up....from Randy! Thomas: Please manifest yourself - Neutral Positive -...and NOT Negative. Sense the GOOD(/Positive)...in your fellowman! Edward. |
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