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Re:Anything that alters consciousness is a narcoti by Critical+Facilities · 2010-07-15 06:30 · Score: 1 · on Sound As the New Illegal Narcotic?

Well, good luck outlawing this. You will DEFINITELY alter your consciousness, and experience major waves of euphoria if you do it right.

Re:Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome is the right word by Critical+Facilities · 2010-03-08 03:22 · Score: 2, Interesting · on Insomniacs, the Phantoms of the Internet

It's really just better to work your life around it than force yourself into unnatural (for you) sleep patterns. I find smoking weed helps if I need to get to sleep & wake early, otherwise staying awake all night is better than trying to sleep early if I absolutely must be alert and active before noon.

If I may, give this a try. Much healthier, legal, and you're likely to find yourself either sleeping more easily or needing less sleep. Just a personal suggestion (your results may vary).

Re:Welll..... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-10-25 07:52 · Score: 0 · on If Not America, Then Where?

That is the truth you speak... we are unhappy because of what is inside of us. I took this meditation course and that has changed my perspective quite a bit.

http://www.dhamma.org/

Vipasanna against RSI by poelzi · 2005-07-10 22:16 · Score: 1 · on Back and Forth Between Qwerty and Dvorak?

I strongly belive RSI is just another mental illness that manifests in a body disease.

The vipasanna organization http://www.dhamma.org/ organizes free courses arround the world. I'm an old student pracicating since 2 years and can really recommend this meditation for nearly everyone. You will benefit greatly and I guess RSI will also fade away.

Ive been on ADD drugs for 21 years.... by purlah · 2004-01-14 14:34 · Score: 1 · on Neural Feedback Training as Therapy for ADHD?

As someone who has been on various forms of ADD/ADHD treatment meds for the past 21 years (i was diagnosed before the larger rash of overdiagnosis began), I have some comments and advice.
I've had a love/hate relationship with my meds for most of my life. Like many people on psychiatric drugs of one form or another, I go through cycles of declaring that the medication is not good for me, that it is not necessary, and stop taking it. In those interim periods, I've tried a large number of alternatives, but have always found myself back on the meds.
First off, some comments on comments I've seen here. It has been my experience that individuals who are truly ADD react very differently to stimulants than those who are not ADD. For ADD folks, the idea of a stimulant as a recreational substance, especially an overly strong stimulant such as methamphetamine, is unappealing. I will admit that occasionally bumping the dose slightly to get through a long night is not uncommon, but I find my relationship with my meds to be the polar opposite of an addict. I have always tried to minimize my doses, I intentionally miss days when I feel like it has built up too much in my system, and I'd be pleased to do anything to get off the stuff.
Even at small doses, stimulants make many people slightly more irritable, they mess with sleep schedules, and while they seem to increase quality of social interactions at first, they create very linear, inward, analytical, logical thinking. This can be a bad thing for those who have normally random thought processes, as it stifles creativity in favour of productivity. After years of trial and error, I've found that what works best for me is to have some off-time from the drugs at certain intervals, to allow all of my creative thoughts to play themselves out.
For those who have suggested that use of these stimulants causes addictive tendencies, there are some solutions. One drug, Pemoline, branded Cylert(tm) provides an amphetamine-like effect, without risk of addiction. Unfortunately, this is no longer a preferred choice for children because it has been correlated with a slightly increased risk of kidney failure. Another, more recent, alternative, is Modafinil, branded Provigil(tm), which was discussed on slashdot some time ago as an alertness agent. Unfortunately, I know from experience that Modifinil does not work for all people.
My personal experience, and this is only that, of 21 years on these drugs is that if there are externally noticable side-effects, aside from occasionally spacing out, of any ADD drug, especially typical-stimulant effects, the dosage is too high.
Anyone will respond to stimulants with increased productivity. One has to be very careful to make sure that this is productivity and singlemindedness does not exceed a certain threshold. When normally voluntary muscles are being affected involuntarily, I believe this threshold has been exceeded.
Its difficult to work this out with a child, especially one new to the meds. If the desired affects can not be obtained without getting involuntary muscle contractions as a side effect, consider trying Amphetamine Combo Salt Tablets, branded Adderal(tm) instead. I've found them to be more effective with reduced side-effects.
Regardless of the meds, and regardless of what your doc says, they do build up over time, you can feel it in your system. Taking a break every now and then is really recommended. Your child may eventually come to know when she is becoming gradually more irritable or needs a little brain break, give her the opportunity to have that experience. It will make her ultimately a happier and more creative person.
As for holistic treatment, theres only one thing thats *really* worked for me to balance things out so far, and that is Vipassana Meditation. Its really too much for a child, though... very difficult for many adults to get through. It teaches you in a rather boot-camp like method how to quiet your mind and be aware of your reaction pr

Re:But... by rithvik · 2003-05-23 05:53 · Score: 1 · on Buddhists Really Are Happier

You are right sir. *Every* religion is based around the same ideas. Every religion is started by a seer (or a long string of seers as in Hinduism) who practised Vipassana (meditation for insight) which aimed at removing all sins accumalated in the inner conscious level of the mind, the root cause of misery. A stage is reached in this technique when the sins come out in the form of terrible pain on the body. If the pain is observed without reaction (objectively) the sin is destroyed. Destruction of all sins in the inner conscious leads to a state of bliss (nirvana) and the path leading to it frees one from the natural limitations (in perception) of the mind.

Unfortunately the exact implications of this procedure are only understood on an experiential level, and even if I try to explain my experience with the technique, it will never be effective

The human mind has two parts, the upper conscious and the inner sub-conscious. The former is voluntary and limited in ability, while the latter is very powerful but involuntary. A large barrier exists between the two. The overly powerful subconscious controls our instincts - what apparrently come automatically to us. It controls every moment of our system and is in control of the senses(it itself is called the 'sixth sense'). Vipassana attempts to completely break the barrier and make the sub-conscious entirely voluntary. These barriars are mainly caused by cravings and aversions ( Vikaras - it is called) caused due to our Karma (actions). These are broken only by practise

The process of learning to write the alphabet A in kindergarten is entirely voluntary. The process of writing Anything now for you is involuntary (you think about 'Anything' and your hand 'automatically' writes it for you.) Now the process is done by subconscious. Practice has taught the subconscious a task which becomes a habit. Experience at sensory level also teaches the subconscious. Just learning Philosophy means it will stay in your conscious for ever, never influence your life, just be a topic for discussion.

Do not kill. Do not tell lies. Do not do this do not do that.

do this, do that.

Every religion tells you this. But does it sink in? No!

Experience through Vipassana, meditation and penance has taught these Great People - Seers or Buddhas - the effect a bad act causes on the barrier - the misery it causes. It becomes a habit for them to avoid all sins because of this.Bearing pain is nothing for them since they have conquered the subconscious. But sins are a no-no. Why do you think Christ said 'God please forgive them for they know not what they do?'. Pain and dying was nothing to him. The effect of the sin the men were committing on the men themselves troubled him more. And they knew not what they did.

I know whatever I say here makes no sense to you. Check this link to my previous post here and see here about Vipassana. Until you practise Vipassana at least once, you will not know the meaning of your own religion, let alone Buddhism

Before I did Vipassana, I used to revel at people who discussed religious philosophy. After, I found out all these were fools, idiots who know not what they speak. Let your experience be your own knowledge. A philosophy wholly accepted by a fraternity of fools doesn't become the truth

Philosphy may not be wrong at all, but it is meaningless until realised. Once realised (even fractionally), what Gautama Buddha or Jesus said will get clearer and clearer.

There is no difference between Buddhism and Christianity. There is only difference in perception and interpretation.

Re:mentality not the religion by rithvik · 2003-05-23 04:44 · Score: 1 · on Buddhists Really Are Happier

There is a subtle science involved in it. What the Buddha taught was a practical method for looking 'inside' oneself. A technique of meditation which will lead to Nirvana (enlightenment) for anyone who follows it. No one person has a monopoly for truth. There is no 'One Jesus' or 'One Mohammed' or 'One Gautama', but there were, are and will be in the future man Buddhas (enlightened ones - The Ancient Indian seers of the Vedas, Mahavira, Jesus, Gautama, Mohammed all counted - Those who followed these methods and broke the barriers of untruth - the limitations of the perceptions of the human mind). The technique was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha and later taught in universities like Taxila (North Pakistan or Kashmir today) and Nalanda. People from far out visited these (Huen Tsang and Fa Hien from China are well known visitors to Nalanda. Jesus Christ is also said to be a disciple at Taxila during his 19 'unknown' years).

The result of the meditation for a person is quick (depending on person), but the method is a bit tedious.

Today the method has been mingled with all sorts of philosophies etc. to become a religion. Unfortunately the insightful knowledge obtained by the person who has attained this state cannot be accurately put in words as it is at an experiential level, and all the Great Ones who have tried to do so have been grossly misinterpreted, combined with philosophies, and each religion is farce in its own way (including Buddhism)

Gautama never meant it to be a religion. He had rediscovered the basis of Dharma (Universal Laws) and the technique to absolve oneself of ones sins : cravings and aversions , according to ones acts in life (Karma:)(actually - not farcically, as is claimed in all religions today) and the very basis of all the myths in the Hindu religion (which is forgotten today) and nearly all other religions.

This technique was rediscovered recently and is taught worldwide. It is called Vipassana (insight). Without practicing Vipassana at least once, I'm afraid no one has really understood religion. Its website is at www.dhamma.org

Prisoners and priests alike have greatly benefitted from it. Prisoners show the greatest changes since they are really sinners.www.prison.dhamma.org

I recommend it to all because it has a large worldwide following and I myself have attended a 10 day course and felt its benefits.It will be an eye-opener to all alike. It is a practical method, not a religious thing. People from all religions only get to know their religions better (Athiests love it too)