steve

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see what you wrote but I did get notification that you mentioned me. I’m quite sure it was loving and warm! 😄

Thank you

As you describe it, it excludes everything on the inside, and that which can’t be apprehended by the 5 senses on the outside, or am I misinterpreting your words?

And yet that reality ignores such a large part of our lived experience. Reality testing is an important part of mental health. So is acknowledging the reality of our internal life and its impact on the external, for us and those around us.

By that definition, space is not real and yet it is what allows all things to have their place. Similarly, consciousness is not real so how do all these wonderful senses manifest? What about feelings, are they real? Or solutions to mathematical problems before they’re written down ? I don’t feel limited to a materialistic definition of reality. It misses so much of my life experience.

Both - all are mental processes, and could be reasonably labeled as thought, and yet each is a specialized subset. In my paradigm they are real, that is they are an integral part of reality for me.

For me there is nothing better than standing directly on the Earth with bare feet. I particularly like to be near large trees or rocks. I don’t imagine or think about anything at all related to energy, grounding, channels, or anything else. No music or podcasts. I just open all of my senses and remain present, perhaps offer my gratitude to the Earth, birds, trees, and so on, for sharing the moment with me. Whenever I find the mind off on a trip or disconnected, I just guide it back to the experience of this very moment. The feel of the ground, the feel of gravity, the openness of the sky, allowing the fullness and completeness of the experience of this very moment. If the legs or feet get sore or tired, sit or lie flat on your back. I also love walking, same approach and similar benefits, although I don’t recommend walking barefoot unless you’re used to it.

It’s an interesting phenomenon. While there are clearly some teachers/figureheads who actively create a cult following, there also seems to be a collective tendency for students/followers to create a cult atmosphere even in the absence of a predatory leader.

When it comes to posting, I frequently choose to restore the space. I write long posts, revise them a few times, then think better of it and simply delete. Nothing beats the openness and unlimited potential of the empty space of my unposted posts. 😄

I get that. I'm asking what do you differently when you reach that point or are pushed beyond?

What do you mean by cutoff point? What is different before vs after that point?

Loved Sea Hunt! Made me become a diver.

I find martial arts training to be a wonderful way to cultivate self-discipline. Running and weightlifting are also good but nothing beats martial arts for me.

Love for the squats!

Staying connected and sensitive while protecting one's energy is possible when you recognize that energy needs to flow, needs to move through us, not get stuck in or held by us. The one who feels like they are trying to protect something is more of a problem than solution. Of course it is important to maintain mental, physical, and emotional health which are the foundation of our energetic potential but it's no accident that so many energetic practices are focused on clearing obstacles. If we want to optimize our power it does not lie in hoarding and trying to wield a finite amount but in opening and being responsive to the full flow of it. This is the principle of Wu Wei in a nutshell.