Jesus spent 40 days in the Desert. I only spent 21, but here's what began to happen;

The reason humans suffer is because they believe life is happening to them. The suffering will cease when it is realized that life is just happening.

Thank you for reminding me of how important it is to get back to nature. You learned to let go of fear and found love!

I did a 3 night and 4 days solo when I was a teen. It was fabulous! I didn't want it to end. I was the only one in my group of 20-22 kids who not only wanted another day but had food left for a snack on the drive home. We were given a same witch baggie of trail mix. I spaced out my rations and enjoyed each bite. Most of the kids ate it all by the second day. I relished every moment of my solo. The other kids thought I was nuts because I brought a sheet and twpo empty journals. I used my sheet for shade as it was summer time. I wrote well into my second journal. I sat and absorbed the sounds and beauty of all around me. I was never scared but, we were all within eat shot of each other. One of my favorite parts was the bees. I would know that the sun had warmed enough to crawl out of my sleeping bag when the bees were buzzing at the flowers next to my head. They were like a comforting alarm clock.

I yearn to do it again! I wish so much to find a home in a slower smaller community. I have chosen a mate who doesn't seem to be able to face the fear and make the change. As I get older and my children approach teen years I think perhaps some day soon I will make the change for myself. They can come with me or not but someday I must get back to the earth. The speed of society has made me crazy. I have known that I must return to the earth and you have reminded me to not let that dream die. You give me strength to push my family towards what I know we all need.

For now we have obligations where we are at today but have been letting go of many material things to make a move easier.

amazing post !!!! been wanting to do exactly this for a long while (never considered how long for mind you) - will have to set a date for it .. wow ... none of what you wrote surprises me but brilliant to read just a snippet of what you experienced .... most people could probably do with this ... real therapy !

Originally posted by dominicus
At a certain point, tree's had auras. I thought it might be due to the fasting, but then I noticed some tree's that had cancerous knots, or the dead tree's, did not have aura's to them, which makes me wonder if it was legit.

I have seen this too! I have seen it a few times. It always seemed to happen several days into a backpacking expedition. I brought it up to the group a couple of times and one time another person could see it too. I had just put it in the back of my mind cuz most people thought I was nuts. It was a beautiful sight to see.

edit on 27-12-2012 by Twilightgem because: sorry badly formated

You proved how clear thinking happens - when you are away from all that happens in the city and how TV and MSM manipulate you. Remember those conspiracy movies with cartoons of grotesque mind controlled faces? Is it just a conspiracy anyone? No, manipulating the way people think is not only a fact, it is a tool that some barely suspect, works perfectly.

I wish you'd kept a journal the whole time, recording the experience as it unfolded, that would have been interesting.

reply to post by dominicus

I wish I had time to just get up and go out in the middle of nowhere and get lost for a few weeks, but I really don't have the time and have other responsibilities, that and I got so used to this whole lifestyle that it will be a real pain to adjust to the whole thing or up and leave it. Most accounts of people who have just went and packed and took off into the woods, the stories are varied, but usually when they come back to society after being away for long periods they say and act pretty much like you do.

I remember one story forgot the exact details of it, but a guy was living in Alaska somewhere by himself for years, then one day he came back into town to visit relatives or they found him out there and invited him back for a while, not sure exactly how it went. But they went on to say that ya everything feels slow and plastic for him, he was a shut in, couldn't relate to things and people, and everywhere he went he keep staring out into the open and the woods with a look of nostalgia, like he just wanted to take off and get out of the place. Eventually I think he did that one day, went back out into the wild expanses of Alaska, and they have not found or heard of him since.

Originally posted by bowtomonkey

Originally posted by murphy22
reply to post by dominicus

 

So your a weenie and Jesus was not? That's all I get from This. Jesus was more than a man than we'd ever be.

What does this mean? Jesus was a man like the rest of us, just as perfect in the eyes of God.

What do you know of Jesus? Did you know him? what you know is from books. Do you know his mind? He was fully God and Fully Human as we all are. But do you know that? I think not.

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
I wish you'd kept a journal the whole time, recording the experience as it unfolded, that would have been interesting.

YEah, I only kept a journal of like the biggest insights from those 21 days, which I posted in the original thread. They are much more detailed in my journal, but it would take up 3-4 pages on here so I paraphrased.

I'm hoping to set up a 40 day retreat and this time to be very detailed on the insights and changes of going within and what else happens.

I forgot to mention I was also really inspired to give it a go by this mini-series/documentary called "The Big Silence" where they take a handful of average Joe's in England, and have them do a lengthy silent retreat. The silent retreats are actually inspired by Jesus' 40 days in the Desert and when I watched this Docu, ...well I don't want to spoil it, but let's just say, certain things/insight also remained with these folks as well.

I mention the article and the docu, because I re-read my journal and back tracked a couple years and found that these 2 were a big inspiration to give it a go



And if you can't watch the vid, here's an article that kind of sumerizes the Docu:
Could You Stay Silent for 8 Days?

From knowledge it's logical to assume that society is artificial. Even the most primitive societies are constructs that gives meaning to nonsense. But, to have knowledge about something and understand it is two very different things. Though life and mediation you can fully understand something. This is a lot deeper than just reading a book. It connects with your whole existence, rather than just with your mind. Also, society means a lot of power to a lot of persons. Society has built-in defense-mechanisms to defend it from radical change, and to defend the individual positions of powerful people. It's not only the functions of society, but also privileges that has been given. Call it checks and balances.

Welcome to the real world. Meditation is also a path to wisdom.

reply to post by dominicus


They are not ramblings, they are truth.

How? You broke off.

Since you broke off, you broke away from this artificial man-made world of electronics.

We, on the other end, are trapped. With the fear and such we are trapped.

What you did is something rich people will die for, a month of peace.

reply to post by Egyptia


Considering all the destruction that is so cleary displayed for all to see, living just for yourself or with a small community in a natural enviroment, only consuming what your body needs to be healty, Maybe living for yourself is not such a bad idea

I hate to be picky, but North WI doesn't have deserts. But all in all, great post 0. P. Glad you had Fun in our forests! In fact, now is a goodtime for a good winter hike

Originally posted by TheToastmanCometh
I hate to be picky, but North WI doesn't have deserts. But all in all, great post 0. P. Glad you had Fun in our forests! In fact, now is a goodtime for a good winter hike

yea i understand it wasn't a desert and I did not have close access to one without driving 20+ hours.

However it was the idea of being in wilderness, solitude, nature, devoid of tech, facing myself and whatever else there is....

It was the closest and best available piece of nature for the mission

Good for you my friend. Your story has inspired me to follow in your footsteps. I feel like I need this detachment from this "plugged in" world we live in. Giving a rest to my body mind and spirit sounds like a splendid idea. Thank you!

reply to post by dominicus


An absolutely beautiful read. I may get a slap on the wrist for saying this, but that experience, those realizations, and the general sentiment towards society after 21 days in the woods is exactly what happened to me after an 8 hour trip facilitated by a lovely fungi.

The question is not, is this or is this not the right way of living, for once one is confronted with it there is no doubt left in one's mind, but instead how do we (those who have experienced this) make this way of life accessible to all? How do we dismantle the "commercialized" everything so that it can be replaced with manifestations of the state of consciousness you descried?

This is what I ask myself nearly every day.

I'll figure it out someday...

peace!

reply to post by otie1

maginary beings.

You should be nice when you listen to complete garbage. And spew forth like a fountain in hell.



Now you can turn a blind eye and remain in blissful ignorance. Pretend you never seen the evidence . Try and refute the evidence. Or apologize and admit you were wrong. No I don't mean apologize to me or any one in this thread or currently on earth. You asked I replied.

And I do expect a retort at least.

Can I use the tooth fairy as a scapegoat for my faults?

Be my guest. I doubt if anyone questions you about it tho. In fact I doubt if anyone even tries communicating with you at all. But please, FEEL FREEEEEEE !

reply to post by dominicus


Good to see you posting OP .

Welcome to the world that exists beyond the Matrix. People have been so conditioned by the "societal norms" that have been created to deter them from the real world world, that they have lost touch with what is actually real. This is why for such an "advanced civilization" we are so far behind with what other past civilizations have been in touch with. Good for you.

Thank you for sharing. I think this is why I like going to the Mountains and hiking by myself. It is the one time, when you live in a big noisy city that you can actually just be. It's very soothing just listening to the sound of the trees blowing in the wind, the sound of water running near by. The mountains are my medicine and I always feel somewhat at home in nature.

reply to post by dominicus


Nice experience but keep in mind that Jesus allegedly went to the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil and not to contact his father

I really think one must take good care to not to detach it self too much from society. Specially not to the point in which life and death become indifferent and everything except one's own world looks artificial causing a feeling of complete disdain for anything that doesn't fits one's own reality. Add these things together and you get these kooks that see themselves as little gods that go berzerk in malls, schools and so on shooting random innocent people because they believe everything (except them) is wrong.

Personally even though I believe in Christ I'm not sure I buy these forty days in the desert story. The Bible for me has too much of a sensationalistic marketing material in it to be taken literally. Specially since none of whats written there was written by Jesus himself, but by followers that were trying to push a new religion (cult) tens of years later. Some didn't even knew Jesus personally.

Everything (well most at least) has it's own kind of beauty, the only problem is that perhaps we in our modern society get too caught up in our own inventions and standards doing, using and perpetuating stuff in the wrong proportions.

Case you haven't seen it, watch or read "Into the Wild". The final lesson he left is brief but profound.

Happiness only exists when shared

Take care!