I know a lot of people who work hard all week need to kick back and relax with a six pack or smoke pot to relax. Many people who work hard all week do not require a six pack or smoke pot to relax. Might is be that the postulated "need" would be more accurately described as a choice? With ...

This is an interesting talk by Ayya Khema about St Teresa of Avila: https://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/334/talk/7613/ She clearly felt that St Teresa had accessed the rupa jhanas, though I can't remember whether or not she discussed the formless attainments. Unfortunately the sound quality is quite ...

I am in a committed monogamous relationship... I don’t know how to transmute the sexual energy into spiritual energy... I think the real question here is what is the place for sex within a marriage in the context of the Middle Way. I suspect that for many people this would imply avoiding sex outsid...

I discovered that I was ignorant of my own religion and by comparative study was able to suddenly understand "Oh, that's what they were trying to say!" Yes, other faiths can sometimes shine light from a different direction on the Truth and this can be quite insightful. If only we could fo...

I find that the Brahma Viharas are helpful. Four wholesome mental states. When your kids are suffering - compassion, and taking what action you can to help them. When there isn't anything to be done to help - equanimity. When they experience wholesome happiness - empathetic joy. When you're just wor...

There are actually four PAIRS of Noble Persons.
Those who have attained stream-entry, once returner, non-returner, and arahat, are Noble Persons.
Also those who are training for the realization of these fruits are Noble Persons.

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The Jatakas, a part of the Pali canon, relate stories of the Buddha as a Bodhisatta. At least some of these are related as tales told by the Buddha himself.

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What meaning do you want your life to have?

Metta bhavana is said to help one to "sleep in comfort".

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I have a bit of an issue with attachment to food and greed. I am trying to combat this with mindful eating, and attempting to keep uposathas... I am trying to regain a healthier relationship with food. I want to find more time for dhamma practice and all the other important things in my life, inste...

Mindfully swallow it.

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How can pornography be craving ? Pornography is simply images. The craving is a result of projection onto the images. (That craving can become addictive, but that is a different issue.) Imagining yourself interacting with the imagery. Including the projection of subservience . Unlike real life the ...

The indications are Anna that when a male views hetero porn there is of course sexual arousal, but that seems strongly connected with having power...i.e. he can view them when he wants.... he is controlling the person filmed or photographed. He sees her, but he is hidden from her. She is therefore ...

Hi I wonder whether women might be more gifted than men for spiritual life. I seen 3 reasons why this would be the case: 1°) They seem more attracted to anything spiritual 2°) They seem to know their inner life and their emotions better 3°) They seem to have less sexual desire (which is not a small...

lotuspadma wrote:Is it just because I was forcing meditation a lot?

Maybe. I suppose "forcing meditation" is a form of craving "progress" in meditation, and craving leads to dukkha. Best not to force it.

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