[Gem]

Originally Posted by wstein

I don't know your history but can surmise you got in 'trouble' apparently from 'bad' advice or encouragement.

I understand your desire to prevent whatever happened to you from happening to others. For sure there are a lot of people out there flapping their gums perhaps meaning well but not really knowing what they are talking about. It's unfortunate, its something I try to shine the light on myself. I also recognize and accept that they are where they are on their 'path' or on their journey. They go the way they go, that is not for anyone else to say.

I wonder if that 'where they are on their journey' isn't a bit patronising. I gives me a feeling of wsteins on the high place and has to 'accept them on their journey'.

However, your situation is not like everyone else's situation. I did not have any guidance at all. There were no methods available to follow, no gurus, institutes, no books, and no guides. I had two choices, explore on my own or deny my spiritual nature. You can call exploration 'making it up on my own', probably correctly. I discovered many of those 'truths' taught in various systems on my own. I also know that most don't. Still I don't see any problem with going at it alone. My concern is when people try to put their stuff on others. It doesn't matter to me if it has hundreds of years of vetted history or if they made it up two seconds ago.

I feel your pain.

Interesting path description.

I did start meditation on my own, and there came a time I thought I should get some formal instruction, so I did. After good while, I decided to put that behind me and go into a new chapter again, so kept up a pretty good practice and feel OK about it.

The other aspect is the kindness which is extended, and it's always been in my nature, so I naturally tend toward human service and also wish well for all of nature. I feel ok about feelings of uncertainty within myself and other people, and have found that moving ahead is always wrought with uncertainty, but I also trust in myself and others that taking this step will be OK, and it's utmostly important that people are self determined and find their own way. It can be a difficult thing to not interfere and coerce decisions, but doing so is disempowering and it works a lot better to lend a hand without influencing the direction and enabling decisions rather than suggesting them. Only very rarely is more intervening necessary if a persons choices are very harmful or the person's decisive ability is incapacitated.