This inherent, all consuming feeling of "waiting" - but for what?

reply to post by Akragon


Beautiful - thank you very much my friend

reply to post by ExCommando


no problem man, find your spirit!

It starts with love...

Originally posted by ExCommando

Originally posted by awakenone
Have you considered Philantrophy? The meaning and action behind it will unfold so many levels of your development that having a materialistic outlook would become meaningless.

If you look for that package deal. It is not going to be in this plane of existance, but in the divine.

If you have acomplished all that you seek to do in this reality. Then acomplish finding your true identity and then you will see, all is but a dream.

Yes - I give a fair chunk of my money to charity.

How do you find your "true identity"?

My friend, it is simple but yet, elusive. You have to loose yourself to find yourself. These words that iluminated by the enlightened ones can sometimes confuse you as one must understand from the begining before jumping to the end. It is not a matter of understanding it, but it is the realization of the true nature within the meaning.

You can read all the books that are printed, you can join groups that brings forth this transformation and while all of this will bring you a bit closer, it will not satisfy your hunger. Because in reality only solitude of the mind (EGO) can call upon your true self.

It is not who you are that defines you, but its who you've become. My friend, all is but letting go, the reality you are in now was created by you along with your thoughts, desire and faith. Don't you see, you have what it takes to get there, but clearly blinded by your desire.

All is certain once you change your thought and follow through what you have been doing all along. It is a simple matter of changing the picture that you hold within your mind. Who you want to become? What you want to become? Realize that and the universe will be your oyster.

That hunger you feel within will continue to grow and will continue to expand through out this lifetime. As we move forward in the revealing of the veil from our sleeping state of mind. Ask and it will be given to you, continue to seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be opened.

Namaste

Originally posted by awakenone

Originally posted by ExCommando

Originally posted by awakenone
Have you considered Philantrophy? The meaning and action behind it will unfold so many levels of your development that having a materialistic outlook would become meaningless.

If you look for that package deal. It is not going to be in this plane of existance, but in the divine.

If you have acomplished all that you seek to do in this reality. Then acomplish finding your true identity and then you will see, all is but a dream.

Yes - I give a fair chunk of my money to charity.

How do you find your "true identity"?

It is not who you are that defines you, but its who you've become. My friend, all is but letting go, the reality you are in now was created by you along with your thoughts, desire and faith. Don't you see, you have what it takes to get there, but clearly blinded by your desire.


Namaste

Such a simple statement, wherein you said,

"the reality you are in now was created by you ..."

So simple, but so glaringly true.

We, as people, create our own little world around us, full of the things we think we want or need. When we realise we don't need them, we feel disenchanted, because we have invested ourselves into creating our world.

That's alot to think on .. thank you.

Here's something for you chew on while you're trying to figure out what do with your life. I've found this to be somewhat inspiring. It's a speech by John Ortberg.

reply to post by FlyingJadeDragon


Perfect offering.


Substitute for "2nd line".

Originally posted by ExCommando

What is keeping me is not knowing.

If money was not an issue for you - and you had nothing holding you down - what would you do with your life?

I thought I would toss in my answer to this question, if you don't mind...

I've thought for many years, "What would I do if I had all the money I could ever want?"

I am, I think, in an opposite position from you... I am legally blind, have 3 kids with 3 ex wives (one of the kids severely autistic), and have had, to all outside appearances, a VERY lousy life and all the reason in the world to be miserable.

Yet, you could ask anyone that knows me, I am the happiest person I have ever met. And yet, there's a piece missing and I am anxious to be able to do something... i have that "waiting" feeling, myself.. I know, actually, what that piece is for me.

I would give anything to be able to own a few acres of land that has a lot of trees on it, in a state like Oklahoma, nearby a large lake. I actually dream this, and feel it like a presence on me at all times, oressing me to DO IT... but I cannot afford to, given my situation.

I have done everything I can to get into a financial state to be able to afford to do it, yet SOMETHING keeps holding myself and my family down, almost like a dam. It's hard to explain, but it's the god's-honest truth.

What would I do with that land?

I would set up aquaponics systems, as many as I could, to grow food for anyone that wants to come get it. Southern Oklahoma would be a great place to do it, because of the amount of lakes and rivers to collect fish to grow the vegetables with, as well as a mild set of seasons to allow me to grow food in the winter in greenhouses using the aquaponics idea.

I would use recycled building materials to set up small buildings to live in (think one-room houses or tiny houses) and to grow simple livestocks such as chickens, goats and perhaps a few piggies.

I'd also off-grid myself as much as possible, using solar, wind, and water to generate any power needed.


As an example of the potential with what I'm talking about here... I know of one family doing this that is able to grow over 6000 pounds of food on 1/2 acre of land. There's a guy in PN doing it on 10 acres that he has opened up as a community project, and they grow over 1 million pounds of food a year, which is used to feed anyone that needs it.


Anyhow... this stuff for me is more than a dream, it's a need. I just wish there was a way I could do it. I have the will, I have the knowledge that it would take to do it all, and I have the desire... but the "way" is too far away.

But... that's what I would do. I see it as an almost spiritual fulfiment.

My wife, when she was 4 years old, experienced death. While she was "gone," she "saw" the rest of her life laid out before her, and was given a choice of living it, or staying out of life. She chose to live it, of course. But during her experience, she was shown what her husband would look like, she was told she would have children that were not her own but that would be hers, none-the-less, and that she would be, eventually, living a life much like I described above.

What's "odd" is that as soon as she saw me, she recognized me as being the one she was shown, and the 3 kids I mentioned above have nothing to do with their "real" mothers (they've all abandoned them completely to my custody and are completely out of their lives), and, to them, she is mom. They were young enough when we got together that they never have known any differently (mind you, they know that she is not the bio-mom but.. you get the idea, I am sure).

So, I know, somehow, some way, we will be living the life I described. I'm completely gob-smacked as to how that will come about but I know it none-the-less. As world events progress more and more, the desire and "need" in me to do it is growing exponentially, but, lol, again, I have no clue how we will go about it. I've been desperately looking around on ebay for owner-financed deals on land, but a lot of it is in nevada or arizona deserts lol


Now, for you, it may be that you're feeling something akin to the same ideas I've presented here. I didn't "KNOW" all of this was what I needed to do originally. In fact, I've always worked in management and as a writer lol

But, after exploring myself and having a lot of things "shown" to me through events in my life, this is the culmination of what I know is my deepest desire/etc. So, perhaps the same things are occurring for you.

As I said at the beginning, we're kind of on opposite sides of the same coin on this one. You've the means to be able to freely choose to do whatever you wish to do, but don't know what that is. I know what I wish to do, but have no means to do it.

I guess, in the end, my advice would be to explore yourself deeply and follow what your gut tells you is right for you. Shoot, buy an RV for yourself and your wife and spend a few months driving across the country, with no particular destination in mind. You'd be surprised at what you find out about yourself when you do something like that.

Thanks for listening. I hope this helped out even a little. Sorry for such a long read.

reply to post by ExCommando


Hi ExCommando, I have only just found your thread and found it interesting. I was thinking what a great place to start from, when I read your circumstances. You are young and fit and have some capital. Your headspace right now should be, OK, I have everything I need to self actualise.

I spent my entire life working in a corporate environment and it was soul destroying and boring. It wasn't until I moved to Tasmania that I realised I had wasted too much time pursuing wealth, when I could have been living a simple very happy life.

I have a small acreage now and an old tractor and implements and time to pretend being a farmer. Growing our own food is just ultimately rewarding and planning how to get the most out of 4 acres with all the challenges that presents keeps my mind busy. It's hard physical work sometimes but I have enough time to discover myself and explore my own spirituality.

You can feel isolated sometimes with this lifestyle but with enough cash that shouldn't be a problem for you to get some action when you need it.

There are some great properties down here that would suit you I am sure. Why not buy a dairy farm or a vinyard or even a cattle property. I am sure that once you commited to a country lifestyle you would never want to go back.

What a great way to bring up kids in a natural environment and learning some real life skills. I waited till later in life but I already feel part of this community.

At your age and with your resources you could have a profitable business and leave enough time for yourself to grow spiritualy. It's hard to learn about yourself when you are so busy watching sparks flying off the end of your nose.

Put your money towards the Venus project and get involved! I couldnt think of anything more fullfilling than endevouring to change human society as we know it for the better!

www.thevenusproject.com...

Originally posted by ExCommando
If money was not an issue for you - and you had nothing holding you down - what would you do with your life?

For me, it would be more of what I do now - "making things".
Not really for sale, not really so other people can look at it and say that its great. Just an expression of inner creativity so that I can see the end result and know for myself that I did a good job.
Painting, metalwork, radio controlled toys, music, software, electromechanical things, video animations, photography... the list is endless.
If I had more time, I'd write a screenplay and then film it - but wouldnt really care if anyone watched it. Thats not really the point. Its a thing from within.
As far as buying things go, I prefer to make anything I can rather than buy. Last year I made an "antique chinese" style cabinet and set of drawers for the bedroom. I could have bought them at a fraction of the price it cost me to make, let alone the time involved... but again, thats not the point. Same with the wood with brass inlay clock radio I made.

But hey, you did ask.

reply to post by kennyb72


Bah! See! I am not the only one! lol

Congratulations, Kennyb... you're living my dream, man lol

Course, mine's a little modified, in that I would use aquaponics instead of tilling the land and planting it there, but same difference, really. It's still the life that my family desperately wants to live.

I wish i could do it this very moment. I'd walk away from the society I know in a heartbeat and not regret one moment of it, if I could do exactly as you're doing.

What's frustrating is I have no obligations holding me back from doing it. It's lack of funds for the land to get er' done lol

I'll tell you what I am going to do and would do if I was in your position. I would look to obtain some enlightenment about the world around me. I would travel(I already have) and expirience as many cultures, lifestyles, enviroments and wild/nature areas as possible. I would try to obtain some real life expirience. Don't travel for the sake of staying in luxury hotels and spending your whole day beside the pool. Get really deep into the culture, be with the people, try things, taste things and do things you wouldn't ussually.
Infact the places I like are those sucluded from the tourism industry. As I come from abroad and visited home I can say I like the areas that you really have to be a local or know a local to see. No amount of money can buy expirience like that.
That just what I would do. However as I have travelled a fair amount for my age I would gladly give you destination advice if you wanted it. Just PM me if such is the case.

Originally posted by ExCommando
I'd like to consider myself a fairly successful, well adjusted human being - I don't have any major hangups or issues.

In fact, from the outside, I'd dare say I have the idealistic "perfect" life.

My fiance and I are self made millionaires - we own a large investment portfolio, run a very successful business, we are both fitness fanatics (I train 4+ hours a day).

We are well educated, attractive, have a great group of friends, are very respected in our community - we are still young (30 years old each), and do pretty much whatever we want, whenever we want to.

I've achieved everything I wanted to in life - scored in the top 5% throughout school - did not attend university, but instead joined the military, and ended up in the Commando regiment, and spent time serving in East Timor and Afghanistan.

I am not in a position where I find myself waiting ... and the "for what" question is plaguing me.

I feel as though there is a package which is sold to us all when we are growing up - this package consists of the popularized ideal of "making it", and achieving your goals.

The trouble is - what does one do when they make it? It's like finishing a game that's meant to take 40 years in 10 years ... I'm left looking down the barrel of the next 30 years, not having a clue what to do.

Normally you can ask advice from friends or family - but I don't know anyone else in my position.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not whinging or complaining about being in this position - I'm just throwing the question out there to see if anyone else is in the same boat?

Or, even better - what would people suggest is a worthy cause to embark on? Considerable assets, youth, and a strong desire to do "something" which has a purpose.

This may just fade into the ass end of ATS, but maybe, just maybe, someone will read this and post an insightful reply.

*with baited breath* ....

I feel the same way that you do when you talk about the worthy cause to embark on, except I believe that I have one, I just come from a family without money. I tried most of my life to reach the goal you did find, but the money never worked out for me.
Since I did not have money, I have been on a spiritual path, which you don't need money for.
(Unless you go to a church, to become spiritual, then they say god demands 10% plus extras here and there for expanding the church, if you feel so moved after one of their long speeches on sowing your seeds.)

Anyway my spiritual path led me to a man who really seemed to be in-line with what I had learned thus far. I don't know if it would be of any interest to you, but if you are looking for something you could check him out.

www.georgekavassilas.org

I know that he wants to travel to different places (I hope he will be near my area at some point.)
He is asking for people to help with this, you know, like a manager would help with a tour. He really doesn't ask for money, but I know that traveling does cost.
If what you find there is not a fit for you, I hope that you do find this new direction to go in.

Thanks for sharing.

Hi,

this is my first post on ATS, been a lurker for a little while and have found the place really interesting, still getting to grips with some parts of it.

Ex commando,[snip]

i am by no way a hippy and def would most likley be seen as a conspiracy "nut"
i work in IT and i have just been fortunate enough to make contacts who manufacture particularly ethical products.

[snip]






i do apologise, genuianly just wanted to give the man an option he maybe found interesting.

Originally posted by ExCommando
reply to post by Akragon

 

Beautiful - thank you very much my friend

I am sorry, I just had to post again. This guy lives in the same country as you do. I hope that you will look into him and the mission he is on.

reply to post by Jomina

Hi Jomina

I don't know if you have the same system in the US but here in Australia many a man has made a good life for themselves share-farming. The deal is you approach or advertise in a rural area for a farm looking for a live in farmer to run the property for the owner. Usually works when the farmer is getting old but doesn't want to leave the homestead or just that the farmer wants to specialize in one area and have someone take care of the rest.

Could be you could present a business case to a farmer in the area you are dreaming about and show him how profitable it could be for both of you. There is a lot to be said for creating your own universe. You just have to be positive and put it our there.

I have looked at aquaponics and see some great potential in it although it requires a bit of money up front.
Bountiful crops and more fish than you could ever eat, what could be better.

I would have to find a good way to provide fish food though without being reliant on purchasing from larger companies. Still considering this as a potential way to grow food though.

Apologies for going off topic ExCommando.

Well, you've got to either start something to give back to people, animals, the environment, or some other cause that pulls at your heartstrings, or you'll end up miserable. I think that's why so many incredibly wealthy individuals tend to do something to give back to the community. You can't bear the burden of being "perfect" and it guilts you, so in order to assuage that guilt, you need to give. This may not mean just money, but time and effort. And, I think you need to think long and hard about what you want to get involved in. I already know what my love is in that regard. It's the animals for me, but a lot of people wouldn't feel comfortable in that being that most people think you should help out other humans first. I do that in my everyday life, so I've got that covered. Anyway, good luck to you! I hope you become as successful in your endeavors in this arena as you have become in your own success! Keep us posted! I'd love to know what you finally decide to do with your talent, money, and the rest of your life!

xxxx
Prax

p.s. You could also start a fund for striving erotic writers.... just throwing it in there! Haha!

Originally posted by wakeup2change

Originally posted by ExCommando
reply to post by Akragon

 

Beautiful - thank you very much my friend

I am sorry, I just had to post again. This guy lives in the same country as you do. I hope that you will look into him and the mission he is on.

heh, believe it or not this is a really big country. I'd never find him even if i wanted to... Besides i don't really go for "missions" like some might.

reply to post by ExCommando

Hello Excommando, I understand EXACTLY where you are coming from. I too am in relatively the same situation, just a bit older than you, and with a bit less money. I have a good life, and am very happy with it, but standing at 46 and looking into the future, I find that I want to do "something to make a difference in someones life" Im just not sure what. I have ideas of course, but not neccesarilly the funding to put them into practice. (NO this is not a plug to get money out of you so read on). I find myself grasping at ideas as if they were the last straw. My husband and I have finally settled on some thing that we think will make a difference. We have picked and chosen families to "cultivate" Families that we know have great potential,but are in a bad situation that they see no end too, and we help them all we can. It may be small funding(within our budget) that we provide, it may be time, or skills learning, it may be physical labor, it may be brainstorming to help them find an idea that will benefit them. In the end you will be remembered not for the large things that you do, but the small ones. One small act can affect a persons life forever. Try it, do some small thing for someone you think is deserving, and watch the outcome. You may be pleasantly surprised, and find that the "waiting" feeling you have dissapates completely.
We personally have found that volunteer work doesnt neccesarily work for us, because often times the person who is on the receiving end, we do not perceive as being worthy, by that I mean that they have the ability to bring themselves out of thier current situation, but not the ambition to do it. We tend to help the little guy who we know can succeed, but cant seem to get a break. No we are not a Not-For-Profit. we are just everyday people who have a soft spot for the underdog, why? because thats who we are-the guy who trys and trys, and keeps trying until they suceed.
Give it a shot, do some small thing for someone you feel is deserving, and see what happens. With that sort of time, and money surely you can find someone to help.
message me if your interested, and Ill tell you what we do and how we do it.
R.

Originally posted by ExCommando
I'd like to consider myself a fairly successful, well adjusted human being - I don't have any major hangups or issues.

whereas your avatar makes you look like someone who used to get paid to murder for a living!

just sayin