Fruit of the Contemplative Life

Fruit of the contemplative life: => General Discussion => : Alexander May 08, 2022, 02:15:07 PM

: Alternate forum
: Alexander May 08, 2022, 02:15:07 PM
As time has passed, the nature of the Internet has changed. This forum type was standard back in the 2000s, but as the decades have proceeded other alternatives have become available. One new site is Reddit. Reddit is today one of the most popular forums on the Internet. Additionally, they allow the creation and use of free subforums which is useful for our purposes.

At the same time, popularity can also be a liability for a mystic. Here, we discuss unusually difficult topics for the layman to understand. Mysticism cannot be understood easily by the superficial encounterer because it is a life-path. It requires unpacking one's belief systems, self-improvement and self-examination, meditation and direct experience, and the study of scriptures and mystic writings. Due to these important factors I have made the subreddit "restricted." This means anyone can read the content posted on there, but to post one must be approved as a member. I feel this will help filter a lot of the unhelpful posts, and the forum will be able to exist as a small community for its dedicated members.

https://www.reddit.com/r/greatwesternvehicle/

I posted a few articles from previous years on there just now, and will add more to these when I have time.

(*Fixed typo)
: Re: Alternate forum
: Jhanananda May 08, 2022, 04:42:47 PM
The recent problem of the damaged database here has caused me to consider some other venue, and I have been interested in exploring Reddit, so this will be interesting.
: Re: Alternate forum
: Alexander May 13, 2022, 08:19:08 PM
Let me know if you would like posting access. It is just you and me so far. I will try to put some nice books, videos, etc on there. On Reddit, everything is archived so those threads will likely be there a hundred years from now. :)

I was thinking of how posting these things is a duty, a dharma... it creates a path for people who are searching and are sincere. Sometimes a person feels a mysterious Push, and then stumbles across these excellent materials. I do feel very privileged, to have been able to study these great works. I feel responsible to pass them on to others.

As I was posting on there, I was thinking of how a greatly neglected topic in the spiritual life is discernment... Being able to discern the true from the false, the sincere from the insincere, is crucial to making progress and developing wisdom. It makes one's path so much more efficient when one is not wasting time with false teachers. So... when I post these things, they get mixed in with the general mass of information. :p But for the discerning they can appreciate the materials and pull them out.
: Re: Alternate forum
: Cal May 21, 2022, 04:47:15 AM
Hello Alexander - it brought a warm feeling to see that you are still here and practicing. If you and Jeff will allow me, I’d enjoy very much to follow your posts on Reddit as well. Is a link to the thread something you can share with me? Edit: the web address is above. Apologies.
: Re: Alternate forum
: Alexander May 21, 2022, 10:04:51 AM
Hello Alexander - it brought a warm feeling to see that you are still here and practicing. If you and Jeff will allow me, I’d enjoy very much to follow your posts on Reddit as well. Is a link to the thread something you can share with me? Edit: the web address is above. Apologies.

Sure, although I get in as many stupid arguments on there as much as anyone. Sometimes I'm not sure if I should have used my dharma name on there hahaha
: Re: Alternate forum
: Cal May 21, 2022, 11:24:10 AM
Hello Alexander - it brought a warm feeling to see that you are still here and practicing. If you and Jeff will allow me, I’d enjoy very much to follow your posts on Reddit as well. Is a link to the thread something you can share with me? Edit: the web address is above. Apologies.

Sure, although I get in as many stupid arguments on there as much as anyone. Sometimes I'm not sure if I should have used my dharma name on there hahaha

I applaud your courage for doing so. You have a very intimate knowledge to share - and it is up to the receiver to accept or deny what is given. From time to time I also have a feeling to share what I’ve learned about a deep religious experience with others - and it is often rejected. But, when some interaction brings my focus to the spirit - I share it all the same. Reading through a few posts this last night I was reminded of just how abundant my attention is drawn here… this space is truly a gem in a world full of shit. ^.^
: Re: Alternate forum
: Tad June 17, 2022, 12:04:38 PM
Alexander,
that is a good initiative. I will try to support it.

I wholeheartedly agree with you both about the reality of general population on reddit. In the past, I was quite a big fan of reddit. But just like you with time I came to realization that genuine discussion rarely happens there. So now I just read stuff once in a while and barely post anything. Just like Cal said, this forum has been something special.