u/CraftyBrilliant9485

Chöd belongs to Tibetan Buddhism as a whole, but it also has deep and direct connections with Dzogchen. Its philosophical foundation comes from the teachings of Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom), especially the understanding of emptiness.

Chöd operates on different levels: External Chöd, Internal Chöd, Secret Chöd (Dzogchen).

Anyone has attended a Chöd retreat or practiced it in a traditional setting. What was the experience like, and where did you go?

Chöd belongs to Tibetan Buddhism as a whole, but it also has deep and direct connections with Dzogchen. Its philosophical foundation comes from the teachings of Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom), especially the understanding of emptiness.

Chöd operates on different levels: External Chöd, Internal Chöd, Secret Chöd (Dzogchen).

Anyone has attended a Chöd retreat or practiced it in a traditional setting. What was the experience like, and where did you go?

“When we blame circumstances, the past, our fellow human beings, or any event for what happens to us, we are wasting a lesson whose true purpose and objective—properly understood—is to help us remove a filter, free ourselves from a mask, crack a structure, or transcend a prejudice that kept us imprisoned.”

“It requires great sincerity and enormous responsibility to accept that the ‘external’ events that modify us and provoke personal changes are actually a product of the individual mental continuum intertwined with the mental continuums of other individuals. This immense power of mind-consciousness can be observed in what I have called ‘correlated bodies.’ A correlated body is a set of mutually dependent events functioning within a determined and specific level of energy.” Dr. Jacobo Grinberg Zylberbaum, The Self as Idea

I write in exile from a remote and dark Planet called Earth, to which I have been sent by the Hierarchy for having wanted to violate the Forbidden Zone of the Universe. I have lived for twelve terrestrial years and I have not been able to return to my place of origin. Something in the magnificent focus of Divinity stimulated a mystery that no lesson or suffering has been able to reveal, and that keeps me imprisoned in this strange and distant place governed by laws that do not coincide with my celestial nature...I have learned to survive despite all the attempts by the inhabitants of this Planet to shape me in their own style of life. I have known great wise men who have been my teachers, and the mystery of what the woman hides, a mystery that fascinates me through all my lives. I have decided to return to my Planet of origin; whether this costs me whatever it may, and this writing is an attempt to heal my memory and understand my own development. I trust that through its elaboration I will find the lost key: the secret procedure that must free me from this planetary prison and from its inhabitants.

But do not interpret my words negatively in the sense of a lack of affection. I am deeply grateful to this Planet because in it I have lived experiences that nowhere else in the Universe are lived. Here I have encountered beings from every direction and with every tendency. The greatest... Dr. Jacobo Grinberg Zylberbaum, La Fuerza Vital Del Cielo Anterior.

“We must take risks, or we will remain trapped on Earth forever.”

How much of your reality do you think is created by your own consciousness?

Lately I’ve gotten back into the habit of making star anise tea.

Star anise is often associated with a deeper state of relaxation that may lead to more vivid dreams and, in some cases, more lucid dream experiences. Some people report a greater awareness during dreaming where they become more conscious that they are dreaming and a stronger ability to remember dream details upon waking.

There isn’t strong scientific evidence directly linking the tea to lucid dreaming, but the deep relaxation, more restful sleep, and the sensory effect of the ritual itself may contribute to a more intense perception of the experience.

Have you ever noticed your dreams becoming more vivid or even lucid after a specific nighttime ritual or tea?

I sometimes think modern society is built on a comforting illusion: That deep down, all human beings fundamentally want to be good. We grow up hearing phrases like: “Be a better person.” “How hard is it to be decent?” “Everyone deserves empathy.” "Have some compassion!". What if human nature was never that uniform to begin with?

In a forest, there are birds, deer, snakes, predators, parasites, fungi, scavengers, bacteria feeding on decay, jaguars, fish, and insects. You don’t look at a snake and say, ‘Don’t bite.’ The venom is not a moral failing of the snake. It’s part of its nature. Some creatures survive through cooperation. Others survive through domination. Some feed on leaves. Others feed on blood and flesh. Some things only grow where something else is dying. No ecosystem is made entirely of harmless creatures. Yet we often move through life assuming everyone experiences guilt, empathy, remorse, or compassion in roughly the same way. As if conscience were standardized.

And maybe that’s why people are so shocked when they encounter someone who deliberately manipulates, humiliates, deceives, or causes pain — not impulsively, not accidentally, but consciously. Sometimes even deriving satisfaction, power, or pleasure from it. There’s a strong tendency today to explain every harmful behavior as trauma, confusion, insecurity, or a cry for help. And sometimes that’s true. But sometimes it isn’t.

Sometimes people know exactly what they’re doing.

Maybe the real naivety is not believing in human goodness. Maybe it’s believing that goodness is universal. Maybe we were taught to walk into the [human ecosystem] expecting only herbivores. Have you ever met someone who made you realize this? Maybe the problem isn’t the existence of these individuals. Maybe the problem is that we were taught to behave as if they don’t exist. Not everyone will behave the way you would.

I’m reading this right now:

“Elon became a night owl who stayed up all night reading. When he saw his mother’s bedroom light come on at six in the morning, he would go to bed and sleep. This meant she had trouble waking him up in time for school…” — Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson

I’ve also heard his mother’s book is excellent: A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty and Success by Maye Musk.

Do late-night readings have a different taste? Is there a better time to read than when everyone else is asleep?

I’m writing this as a quiet reflection on a path that unfolded gradually and then became very clear to me over time.

I’m a woman in my 40s. Throughout my life, I’ve had a few relationships, none of them long-term or leading to cohabitation. I don’t have children. For many years, I lived in a way that was fairly typical—open to connection, dating, and the possibilities that come with it.

Around 2018, something shifted in me in a way that I can only describe as a calling. It wasn’t a sudden decision, but rather a deep inner clarity that developed over time. From that point forward, I began to step away from sexual and romantic involvement altogether.

Today, I live in a state of complete celibacy. I don’t experience sexual desire or the need for physical intimacy with any gender. This is not rooted in rejection of anyone, nor in judgment of others’ paths or choices. It is simply something that arose within me as part of a deeply personal spiritual direction.

I do identify this experience as a form of religious calling. It has become a quiet but central part of my inner life, one that deepens my sense of connection with God and brings a strong sense of clarity and alignment.

Interestingly, I did still explore casual dating again in 2023 and 2024, as a way of checking in with myself and my feelings. After those experiences, I found even more certainty in my path and chose to step away from dating entirely.

What remains for me is a sense of peace—something very clean, settled, and undisturbed. It feels like I am no longer carrying emotional dynamics or expectations that were never truly mine to hold. There is a lightness in that.

I share this quietly, not as a statement or philosophy, but simply as one lived experience among many possible ways of being.

If anyone here has gone through a similar transition into voluntary celibacy—whether gradual or sudden—I would genuinely be interested in hearing how that unfolded for you. What changed, what stayed, and how you experience your path today. Feel free to share your story if you feel comfortable.

Going to the movies alone is one of the most underrated solo activities ever. There’s something so peaceful and FUN about entering a dark theater with your snacks, finding your seat, and just fully disappearing into a story for two hours without having to socialize, compromise, or worry about anyone else’s opinion.

A few things that make solo movie dates even better:

Going during the week = quieter theaters

Afternoon screenings are usually more relaxed

Late-night last showings can feel cozy and almost therapeutic

You can dress however you want — oversized hoodie, comfy clothes, no pressure to “look good” for anyone

You don’t have to do your hair or makeup unless you want to

You can fully focus on the movie instead of wondering if the other person is enjoying it

No negotiating what movie to watch: — and honestly, this applies to streaming at home too. When you’re alone, you can watch exactly what you want, choose dubbed or subtitled, pause whenever you feel like it, rewatch your favorite scenes, and fully enjoy the experience without anyone ruining the vibe or complaining about your choices.

No one stealing your popcorn

You can buy the giant popcorn bucket and every snack you want without feeling judged

You can laugh, cry, or get emotionally invested without self-consciousness

You leave the theater in your own little world afterward, which honestly feels magical sometimes

Another underrated part: after the movie ends, you can take yourself for coffee, dessert, or just walk around thinking about the film. It becomes a full solo date experience instead of “just” seeing a movie. Honestly, taking yourself on solo dates is so freeing once you realize nobody actually cares that you’re alone. Nobody is watching you, nobody is judging you — most people are too busy thinking about themselves anyway.

I also feel like going alone makes me appreciate films more. I notice details I’d probably miss if I were talking to someone or distracted.

Anyone else here actually prefer going to the movies alone?

La vita a Milano è cambiata dopo la p? Cosa è cambiato per chi ci vive? Aspetti positivi e negativi.

Alguém teve esse sintoma antes do infarto em si muitos meses antes? Lombar, meio das costas, pescoço, ombros esquerdo. dor constante que não passa com nenhum medicamento. ja tentei gelo, alongamento, bolsa d'agua quente.. minha mae morreu de infarto e eu me lembro que antes ela falou que sentia dor nas costas enquanto estava em pé cozinhando ou qndo fazia algum serviço domestico. leve falta de ar, parece que a respiraçao na vai ate o final, suor noturno, ja senti tb dor no meio do peito, aquele choque no braço esquerdo me acordou de repente no meio da noite. tive nausea tb que ja passou, teve 1 dia que eu tive azia e dps nao senti mais, o que é constante mesmo é a dor nas costas.