Speak the truth without fear and try to be a good person - we're all on this ride together.

amen

Agreed, I know it can feel heavy with all the stuff we read about here daily and to think it's only the tip of the iceberg.

I won't lie, there are nights where I feel restless and can't sleep while my mind races.

Would I change it for ignorance? Nah, I don't want the blue pill. It's just a balance that you need to work out.

It's good to prepare. It's good to be aware. It's good to stand strong and exercise your rights.

However, don't let it burn you out. There's only so much you can do as a single person right now. Don't worry, there will come a time when your efforts will be very important, it won't be long from now.

Just enjoy your days while they are still normal. Have a nice steak or dessert. Enjoy time with your loved ones and friends. One day things will change and you'll miss these "boring" days.

This is exactly what I did when I started to get to this point. Started going over to /r/postcollapse and /r/selfsufficiency and things got a little better. Kinda need to rob a bank if I want to get prepared though.

I've been doing it incrementally.

First step, being adequately armed and having ammo. Milsurp rifles can be had on the cheap, as can shotguns.

Next is starting the garden and having water purification supplies. MREs and canned goods aren't bad for a start either.

I'd also recommend keeping sets of plastic cutlery and paper plates/bowls. Remember having food is good, but the goal is eating it too. Aluminum foil is quite useful too, makes cooking smaller things on a grill/fire easier.

If you need to charge your devices (GPS, compass, camera, etc), there are solar/hand crank products that may be helpful.

I wish there was a frugal /r/selfsufficiency like where to order cheap reliable gear and seeds. I'm not even making paycheck to paycheck and there's no way I can afford the gear I need.

Check out survivalcache.com

I started a community garden in my neighborhood when I reached the point you're at. If you're able to do something on the local level like that it might help you get some z's.

very cool!

That's fantastic. Could you elaborate on how you started this garden? I am very interested in doing something like this myself, but I have no idea where to start and what resources are required

There are start up guides on the internet, I'd link you but I'm mobile at the moment. I googled "how to start a community garden" and was surprised at the amount of info I found. The parks dept. in your town should be able to give you info on land that's available, paperwork, etc. Hope that helps!

Thank you

"Through the Looking Glass"

You didn't even know there was a rabbit hole, just like other parts of the population didn't see it or refuse to acknowledge it... Then you found it existed and decided to take a look. Most do not and continue on their merry little way knowing that something is wrong but not really having the care to find out more. Some of us do, most of us don't. Some even know, but decide to chastise those going into the hole. Make them feel stupider for even questioning things at all.

And you can never reemerge from the rabbit hole from the same way you came in. You simply must continue through until you come out the other side. Alice was a changed person after the trip - so is anyone who actually researches what the truth of the state of things is. It changes you. Makes you cynical or distrustful of common things. Angry in others for not caring and putting up the same amount of energy (or an obvious attempt) as you did. It is infuriating!

But it is simultaneously uplifting and freeing - you no longer question if its the truth because you see right through it. The veil means nothing to those with vision: you don't need sight to see, you need vision. Vision comes from from wisdom. Wisdom comes from knowledge that was information that you can now use.

Data -> Information -> Knowledge -> Wisdom.

Perfectly stated

On so many levels...no shitttt

Cool story bro. so what are you going to do about it?

If youre going to follow some of the advice people left, then you might aswell go back to sleep and start caring about football or the Kardashians.

This is a defeatist mentality, and your cycle of unhappiness WILL turn into depression the longer you stay "out of the matrix" (for lack of a better expression) and remain docile and wallowing in it.

OR, you can slam your fist down and flip your fucking desk. Yell "FUCK THIS SHIT" and start making a difference. handing out flyers, rubbing elbows with the right people, billboards, music, videos; fuck just stand in the middle of the street downtown and YELL the truth for everyone to hear. Id rather get a bullet put in my brain fighting this tyranny, than Uncle Sams dick in my ass for going with the flow.

Youve got to get MAD

You have knowledge, secret knowledge. "secret" in the sense that a sheep doesnt know, or understand. Therefore YOU have a responsibility to keep, and thats to spread the knowledge. You are at an advantage over the mindless waves of sheep, and you must use that advantage yourself not for personal reasons like the criminals, but for the good of humanity.

You are 1 person, but the difference you can make is HUGE. MLK was arrested over a hundred times. a man with groceries was able to instill fear in tyranny and hope in masses by simply standing infront of a tank for a few minutes. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a damn liar.

I know alot of people have seen this and im beating a dead horse but its relevant: with a cheap megaphone, a piece of plastic tarp and red tape my friend and i were able to send a message to the white house sometime ago. If we can do this with nothing but knowledge and passion fueling and motivating us, what do you think YOU can do? link

Dont succumb to the system, fight it. Like many things in life, it only has power and authority because the people believe they do. Power, no matter where it stands can disappear in moments if everyone shrugs their shoulders and face the other way

Cool video. I like how the crowd cheered when you guys vaulted the fence. That's an apt metaphor. There's a lot of pissed off people milling around right now, waiting for someone to say fuck this and make a move.

Yes!!! I have given up trying to win people over with rational arguments. The evidence is so obvious at this point, anyone who is unaware does not want to know.

Instead I spend my time broadcasting messages of dissent as a way of letting all the other pissed off people know they are not alone. Find a group of like minded friends, and schedule weekly meetings to discuss current events and plan for the worst. It is like group therapy for activists, dissidents, and prepers.

Don't worry my friend I'm a fighter. I will die for the rights stolen from the people of this nation. Im part of the Oathkeepers and the Washington State Militia. If you have something to die for your life has purpose, those are words i stand behind firmly. I just wanted to get these feelings off my chest. But i won't stand idle to all of this.

Must read this when I go to that dark place OP is at. Must keep believing one person can make a difference.

I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. Then I remembered, I am somebody. -Unknown

there is no spoon

wow after reading all these comments.. some of you guys were so constructive and gave great advice. it actually did make me feel better to read this thread. Thank you all!

Everyone feels this way right now so you're not alone. Take the steps that you can take right now. Past that, it's God's Will and what will happen will happen. All you can do is be ready. Here's the steps I've taken and continue to take:

1. Make your family and loved ones aware of how you feel and why. Explain to them why you are stressed and why you are taking the steps you are.

2. Limit your exposure to the dollar. The QE bubble has to pop sooner or later. Buy real estate, buy bitcoins, exchange dollars for other currencies and/or gold. Anything. Just don't be left hanging with all your money in dollars.

3. BUY A RIFLE. Do not wait.

4. Have food and water on hand. God forbid there is ever a shortage.

5. Speak out. If ALL of us continue to SPEAK up about and call out the FUCKING FRAUDULENT pieces of shit that are destroying this country, there will be too many to round up just based on internet chatter. OBAMA IS A PSYCHOPATH MURDERER, there I said it.

6. Accept death and pray to God. Don't be afraid to die standing up for what you believe in. They can take your life but not your soul. Whether you believe in God or Blind Chance, we all must come to terms with the fact that some things are simply out of our hands. Say a prayer to Jesus Christ or The Spaghetti Monster, tell your family and friends you love them and have fun and enjoy life while you have it.

It's funny. With a slight twist -- like replacing God with Allah -- this might as well be from one of those obscure "terrorist websites". It's gone full circle, and the irony is palpable.

Godspeed, Allah speed, or whatever speed you might prefer, do use that rifle wisely.

Lol. You're completely right. The irony of it all is painful. But its easier for me to laugh about it than cry.

It's also healthier. And makes you more attractive. Manlier. Not to forget saves water. All around a good choice :)

How's it save water?

As opposed to crying? Do I really have to explain?

I totally knew that...

You spoke the wisest words here sir. especially with #3.

My daughter is in a very troubling class in college. It covers a lot of the stuff you ticked off.

Her professor is idealistic and action-oriented. So is my daughter.

As she learned more and more about all the bullshit in the world, she found herself in much the same position as you.

She asked her professor, who has been embroiled in this for decades longer than she has, how he copes. How he sleeps. How he doesn't go crazy.

His answer came down to, paraphrased, pick your battles and do the best you can and learn to live with that being the best any of us can do.

Here's the good news:

• Nobody is going to knock on your door any time soon and demand your gun(s).

• Nobody is going to drag you out of your house, put an M-16 in your hand, ship you off to the Middle East, and tell you to start shooting at anyone with light brown skin.

• Nobody is going to drag you out of bed and throw you in prison (assuming you've committed no crimes).

• Nobody is forcing you to ingest GMOs, HFCS, aspartame, pesticides, or any of the thousands of other biological and chemical agents in our food.

• Nobody has taken your family or friends or pets or whatever makes you happy from you.

• Nobody has taken away your right to vote (assuming you're not a convicted felon and you're a citizen).

If you want to do something, pick a battle. Make it one you care about. One. Then do something about it. When you can. As time permits. And not neglecting all the other things that are important in life, like family, friends, and happiness.

For those things are what the battle is ultimately about anyway.

The items in your list of "good news" are demonstrably false for the most part.

Nobody is going to knock on your door any time soon and demand your gun(s).

Websearch "New York gun confiscation"

Nobody is going to drag you out of your house, put an M-16 in your hand...

It's been done in the past and there's nothing to stop it from being done in the future.

Nobody is going to drag you out of bed and throw you in prison (assuming you've committed no crimes).

See /r/bad_cop_no_donut and read up on Guantanamo & "terrorism suspects".

Nobody is forcing you to ingest GMOs, HFCS, aspartame, pesticides, or any of the thousands of other biological and chemical agents in our food.

But it's been made nearly impossible to find foods without those substances.

Nobody has taken your family or friends or pets or whatever makes you happy from you.

See /r/bad_cop_no_donut and the IRS.

Nobody has taken away your right to vote

If voting changed anything they would.

That has been law for 30 years in NY I believe. They serve these letters every once in a while. You can call and ask to speak with someone about this and that is what they tell you then try to hangup.

Anyways, I live in Cali and the gun regulations are insane here. You can't even have a conceal carry in public anymore unless you are fed.

I was thinking more about the recent raft of letters sent out due to the more recent gun control laws.

You can't even have a conceal carry in public anymore unless you are fed.

I'm pretty well fed. Does that mean I can? ;>)

Websearch "New York gun confiscation"

No credible news sites first page of results. Gave up.

It's been done in the past and there's nothing to stop it from being done in the future.

It's exceedingly rare, and erroneous cases even rarer.

See /r/bad_cop_no_donut and read up on Guantanamo & "terrorism suspects".

Your position is that they're pulling the general population out of bed and throwing them in prison for no reason frequently?

But it's been made nearly impossible to find foods without those substances.

It's actually pretty easy with just a bit of research. Helps to have your own greenhouse though.

If voting changed anything they would.

Bullshit. If every American who could legally vote got their ass off their couch on the 2nd Tuesday in November 2016 and wrote in "Samuel L. Jackson" (or whomever we all decide to trust) for President, guess what would happen?

Everything on your list was "nobody is going to"!!!

No credible news sites

Lol.

It's exceedingly rare

Never heard of the draft, huh?

throwing them in prison for no reason frequently?

Why are you changing from "nobody is going to" to "frequently"?

wrote in "Samuel L. Jackson"... guess what would happen?

The vote counters may decide that Jackson is malleable and approve him. Then show him the Kennedy assassination tapes (or use any number of other dirty tricks) and viola... just another puppet.

Never heard of the draft, huh?

There's a draft on right now? Talk of a draft? Dafuq? Got a link?

Why are you changing from "nobody is going to" to "frequently"?

Nobody's going to do it to him.

There's a draft on right now?

As I stated in my first comment: "It's been done in the past and there's nothing to stop it from being done in the future."

Nobody's going to do it to him.

Proof?

He hasn't been drafted. He speaks of fear if imminent doom, not of jackbooted thugs casing his house.

The selected person would be president, with the correct numbers to back them up.

Well fuck that would be voting changing something, wouldn't it?

No, voting didn't do anything, the populace grew restless and was satiated by the already existing powers. Voting is a joke, I've been to state and party conventions, they're just huge circlejerks with foregone conclusions.

Yet over 50% of the people who are eligible to vote, do not vote.

Do you know what happens if those people get off their asses and all vote for "the other guy"?

Voting works when people think about who they should vote for, why they should vote for them, and then actually get off their asses on voting day and vote.

People fucking died so we could vote. People out there in the world would give their lives so their families could vote.

Yet over half of us can't be troubled to pull our 500lb+ asses off the couch and our addled minds away from Jeopardy for an hour to do it, let alone do the hours of research required to pick the right candidate as opposed to the one who is most attractive or the best speaker.

TL;DR: Voting works but people are too lazy/stupid to make it work.

The numbers are changed, disputed, ballots thrown away etc. I've seen it happen, its systemic and now with electronic voting machines it will be invisible. Your presented with a false dichotomy from the get and no matter what choice you make the outcome is preordained. Its called the Hegelian dialectic. Your vote is absolutely and totally meaningless in everyway save for it may include you in the guilt in the wrongs the government commits in some transkarmic way. People die everyday for all sorts of things. The police have killed more Ameicans since 9/11 than the so called enemy.

The very idea of choice fools you into thinking your taking an action.

Paper does not an action make.

Law is nothing without threat of force.

Tyranny of the majority is still tyranny.

Do you know where rights originate?

When was the last war fought so you could vote?

You're somewhat right. But when all those up for election work for the same people and have the same goals the system can't be fixed within itself.

If you look at the parties other than Dem and Rep, I'm going to guess you will find people who don't actually work for the establishment.

However, if they were to get elected it is entirely possible the establishment will establish (sorry) enough leverage upon them to control them.

So it may not matter in the end, but we, the people, could, if we stopped being lazy and stupid for just one day, put in a President who is neither Democrat nor Republican.

Let's all write in "Jesse Ventura" or something. Fuck the system.

Who votes doesn't count, it's who counts the votes.

How quickly people seem to have forgotten the bush election... Florida.... any bells?

I was already disappointed with the state of the world before I fell down the rabbit hole. At that time, I had concluded that all the problems on this earth were merely the extension of some intrinsic human flaw -- that it could not be better simply because people are no better.

Then, some day, I fell in, and soon realized that I had been mislead; that there are indeed well organized, malicious forces plotting behind the scenes, on a scale barely imaginable to the average mind. At first, this insight was terrifying and intimidating, but it soon dawned on me that it also meant that a lot of the suffering on this planet was indeed not inevitable. That there is a real chance to change the world for the better -- and that is a pretty powerful perspective.

Now, it's been some years, and the war isn't yet won, but there has undoubtedly been much progress. Public consciousness has seriously evolved since then, and basically performed a 180 in the skepticism department. People are waking up, and once they're awake and ready to reclaim their sovereignty, they will not be denied -- can not be denied.

Imagine that day when you're down, and keep going.

Look at it this way, a few years ago you were nothing but a zombie -- now you are at least partially awake. What good is happiness if you are on the intellectual level of a potato?

Exercise helps. Strengthen your body with a little PT and lots of veggies and healthy shit. Seriously your biochem will produce and release happygunk instead of the morbid chemicals. You'll feel better, be better prepared for wherever this generational shindig is headed, and basically just feel like a better person.

I feel ya. I was there last year. It sucks. It's dark and horrible. Tell your family the truth about how you feel without ranting. You might be surprised at how receptive people end up being.

And yes-- BUY A RIFLE. Get a decent .223 and learn it inside and out.

Oh i do, work out regularly, eat well, and hold my AR15 with pride.

Good to go then.

I run a Tavor 18 myself. If you're ever looking for a different .223 (and aren't a bullpup hater) give that thing a look. They are damn sweet. In my area a home invader is more likely to be a goddamn black bear than a human so I keep a Glock 20 as my pistol.

Anyhoo, the other thing that I've found helps (in terms of keeping my brain occupied with positive, productive tasks) is gardening.

The way you have to look at it, is there is really nothing in your power you can do to change any of this. You more or less have to accept this fact in order to begin living free of fear and worry. Take solace in the fat that you are not alone, and there are smart open minded people who are going through the exact thing you are. It is very traumatizing to finally see the world for what it really is, but you have to do your best to stay strong and optimistic.

|there is really nothing in your power you can do to change any of this. |

Edward Snowden, Bradley Manning, Anonymous, Philip Schneider etc. etc.... If you recognize any of these names, and believe in their cause, you will retract your first statement. We ARE turning the tides of this fight, and suggestions like these get in the way of true, meaningful change.

Edward Snowden, Bradley Manning, Anonymous, Philip Schneider etc. etc

The vast majority of us are not in a position to be able to do the things they've done.

you do realize those names you listed are very minuscule exceptions. Even then they are still ridiculed by MSM, labelled as traitors for shining light on corrupt government bodies. If you are in this type of situation it is your duty to act as selflessly as these men have, but it is very rare to be in that situation. People should focus more on becoming better individuals to their friends, families, and neighbours. Stressing about things that you cannot control will get you nowhere fast.

you do realize those names you listed are very minuscule exceptions.

Yea. they're also called "heroes". Anyone who acts on his conscience can become a hero these days, it seems. Not to take away from it...it's more of a sad comment on society.

I hear you man. It's really, really hard for me to wake up every morning and go on with my daily routine of work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep while actually knowing the truth. I own a house, car, credit cards, bank account, and I have a wife. I cannot just quit my job to become an activist without sacrificing my job, which I've worked hard to get where I'm at like most people. The sleeping sheep of our country will not awaken until something threatens our comforts and everyday pish posh. You should take a look at this video I'm showing this to as many people in hopes to wake some of then up, one person at a time.

try to start winding yourrself off those things like CC's which keep you beholden to the man

You can blame my wife for those, lol!!

ok ... well, ... what about the kids then? You know, cut down or ?

I went through a similar phase. I even started seeing a therapist. Know what her advice was? To "stop researching". Least to say I stopped seeing her after that appointment. Eventually with time I mellowed out and came to terms with the disturbing reality we live in. I used to be bothered by hearing what "sheep" said in terms of politics. Now it feels like my brain goes to auto-pilot and tunes them out. Instead of forcing my viewpoint down others throats I just wait to feel them out. Call it a superiority feeling but it feels somewhat good to know that you're awake to the truth. Also, being cynical helps. Someone somewhere will always be bent over and raw dogged by the elitist/bankers/government. But those same people are sacrificing themselves to help spread the word. It's like the conclusion in Fahrenheit 451, in the end we only have our word of mouth to pass on the truth. It's our true "weapon of mass destruction".

I remember getting stuck here. You need to realize its not healthy to ruminate or compare yourself to someone other than yourself. I had a self post about this that I did a while back if ya wanna read it.

It's good that you have that awareness of what's actually going on in the world, but letting it effect your daily functioning is a borderline mental disorder.

You need social support in situations like this. They are the key to increasing happiness. That and being selfish and taking time to enjoy yourself. Life may suck for many in the world, but hurting yourself because of it, doesn't help anyone. Life isn't fair. Being religious also helps in this case. If you realize that grace is only available due to inequality and that Christ will reverse all wrongs, then you have no need to ruminate.

So, label me whatever you'd like. It's all just name calling. But, I know that happiness comes from your perceptions and appraisals. You decide your destiny. You can choose to abuse yourself and trap your mind in a web of torture. Or, you can look past all the noise and realize that you're the only one making sound.

It's up to you, even if you don't realize it. All emotions are energy states and the energy you put out will effect the energy your receive and also how you interpret that energy.

Btw... A little weed might help your insomnia.

just remember be a good person no matter what and in your own way you win

I went through the same thing. Learned a few important lessons. My two cents- your experience is exactly what they're hoping for. That's the reason that people like Alex Jones and Jesse Ventura are allowed to reach as broad an audience as they do. It's (likely) some manner of psy-op, with the objective being to keep control over those who are starting to wake up. Control you by keeping you up at night thinking about all the terrible and seemingly inevitable outcomes, by keeping you on edge, by making it hard to trust anyone, by getting you riled up over things that you can't stop, and by making you look crazy to the people around you.

Don't bite. Things are no worse now than they've been any time throughout history. The methods for controlling the masses have become more sophisticated. That's what we're dealing with now. Media (mainstream and independent) will scream at you to be scared and that the world is upside down. But remember this, fearing something/someone is acknowledging its power over you. Live free and without fear. This is how we end the insanity.

Things are no worse now than they've been any time throughout history.

I think 9/10/01 was a better place than right now

I advice you to watch Oliver Stone's new documentary about the untold history of the US, so you can understand this paranoid vision of a dangerous world with enemies out there that is the essence of the american people. You will sleep again after that, when you realize that being paranoid is not the way to go.

Great show, also beautifully edited & produced.

You should blog.

I love you, buddy. You're not alone

Try smoking some marijuana, I have heard it helps with insomnia caused by anxiety.

If you're going to do anything, do something to affect change. What's been happening has been happening for generations. It just takes fighting back. For me, I've been to political rallies and protests. I donate to independent media like the Corbett Report, Tragedy and Hope, etc. I'm also speaking out personally with a YouTube channel, a podcast, a blog, and an instagram feed, My background is in video and design so that's what I did. I've had one people come up to me with questions after hammering on certain issues and genuinely seen people wake up. That's got to be the mission for those of us who lose sleep over the criminality. We won't change anything overnight. But we can at least try to get things to change eventually. We all know the ballot box is a joke.

Just wanted to say that I watched some of your videos and think you're doing a good job! A rant, walking along the street -- good format.

Thanks man. I'm always thinking of this stuff anymore because I want so badly for people to stop buying this bullshit we're being fed so we can see real human potential take off. I really appreciate that :)

Two things that may help.

1. control what you can, do not worry about what you can't.

2. if crazy, go to beach.

If the world seems overwhelming and doom is behind every corner. Just do what you can to make it better. If the world is getting you down, go to the beach (or an equivalent place, either physical or mental, and enjoy the company of friends, remember what you are grateful for, create new stories and new experiences; enjoy life.)

And last, remember the phrase that made a poor man happy and a rich man sad; This too shall pass.

Ignorance is not bliss, it is shadows on the wall

You are going to be in the depressed stage for a little. I went through the same thing looking up shit for hours till 5 am and could not sleep when I first felt like I woke up to the corruption. It will pass. and my advice man is just to worry about what you can control. YOU CANT STOP a war by yourself and if the universe lets this happen then it is meant to be. I actively have a voice and a strong voice but I am not going to be down over the shit I cannot control. Remember humans are not used to being gobally connected whats happening around the world is rough man/.

Accept it and fight for justice where you can or go kill yourself. The last thing we need is another chicken shit activist. I will tell you that civil disobedience is a weapon of the elite. They wouldn't know what to do if we stopped protesting and started hitting them hard. Remember that bro. Good luck.

Civil disobedience has its place but it is definitely NOT the only way to stop what's happening. Civil disobedience is simply one of the steps

You just spoke for me. For what it's worth, sorry bout the mess

Become spiritual, look past religion, and into who you are and what you are here for, research it, look into it, don't worry about what you cannot change. Turn into yourself and become one with life!

This is why I can only take /r/conspiracy and similar websites in small doses. I used to read this stuff regularly until I realized that it was contributing to my depression. It's not healthy to constantly bombard yourself with bad news. When it has reached that point that it's affecting your health, then it's time to take a break and put your body's needs over your ego's need to "stay informed." Take a break from the news and conspiracy websites for a few weeks and focus on self-improvement instead. Nothing is going to happen if you miss the latest Reddit censorship outrage or corrupt cop story. Your health is more important.

Infuse your days with moments of silence. Your mind is too busy with all of these things which is normal, but you have to give your mind a rest so you can start seeing more clearly. You do that by sitting in silence while observing your breath at least once a day preferably more.

In the beginning it will be hard, your body will seem to want to run all the time, you have a hard time sitting still or focusing on the breath because thoughts are distracting you. But don't worry, the process will deal with all of that itself, you don't need to fight your mind. You don't need to try to quieten it. It will happen on its own if you maintain a continues practice.

This kind of thing will bring more peace into your mind and body, only then can you start to feel happiness from the simple things in life.

The internet condenses all the suffering on earth into articles, videos, documentaries etc... You as a person can still look at these things and care for what is happening, but don't carry the pain of the world on your back, it makes your mind clouded with too many emotions. Sometimes your mind needs a rest, do yourself a favor and do this practice of silence.

I personally like the Zazen method of meditation the most. The eyes are open but comfortable not too open not too closed. You look at the ground in front of you again no specific spot. And in the beginning you follow your breath by a mantra in your mind. When you breath in you say (in your mind) "breath in" "breath out". You can sit on a cushion with your butt, your legs don't have to be in any lotus position (I don't do it that way) but I wouldn't advise crossing them. I put my legs parallel to each other so they don't cross but have a stable enough base to keep your body in a form of a tripod. The knees are two legs and the spine/butt are the third leg of the tripod. With your hands you can make a cosmic mudra (search google images) there is nothing mystical about it, its just something for your hands to do. Its also a good indicator of tension in the body, the two thumbs should touch each other lightly, when they start pushing hard you know you are tense or not mindful enough.

If this method doesn't suit you you can sit on a chair with your feet planted on the ground, hands resting on the legs either with the palm resting on the thigh or the hands clenched together in the "prayer fist" (don't know how to call it). Again the eyes should remain open, follow the breath, relax your body. Keep your back straight so it is easy to breath in from the belly. When the back is not straight you will feel as though its harder to breath. Again this isn't super crucial, but in the long run you should notice yourself that breathing with a straight back will be much better, it is also better to take up this habit for the sake of your back.

If you have problems or questions regarding the movement of the mind and what it is telling you, you can ask me and I will try to help. If you have never prayed or done anything remotely religious (not that meditation is) and you sit down to meditate it is possible that the mind will see itself as though it is doing something spiritual. The mind has many ideas about what meditation is and you will bring all of those ideas on your meditation. The longer you do it the more they will start to disappear, this stripping of layers will keep happening until you come closer to reality itself. You will start to notice that the mind has little to do with reality, the mind is pretty nutty if you keep an eye on it.

I don't like the word meditation, let's just call it silent sitting, because that's really all it is. Meditation has become too heavy a term, its too loaded. One other delusion you will get into when you meditate is that you feel like you are doing an activity. You are going to feel as though your meditation is a tool to bring you somewhere. Silent sitting is not a tool, you don't "do" silent sitting. Silent sitting is just doing nothing, the longer you do the more you will understand this.

I'm going to stop here before Iv clouded your mind with too much bullshit, the mind is a deceptive fucker thats all you need to know.

While reading the comments here I was formulating a comment such as yours in my head, and then I came across yours. Very well said. I started meditating a few years ago and it does have profound consequences.

One thing I learned that helped me quite a bit was from a spiritual teacher that pointed out that our thoughts are not are own. They happen autonomously. Just like our heart beats without thinking about it, our lungs breath without thinking about it, thoughts come from our brain without thinking about it. If we were responsible for our thoughts we could tell them to stop but they don't.

We can not stop our thoughts! Not only that, our thoughts are not always friendly thoughts. Lots of times our thoughts tell us we are jerks, ugly, losers, and maybe we should kill ourselves. The point is we have no reason to trust our thoughts. Study of consciousness, spirituality, and the ego, will tell you that identifying with the thoughts that you have is what reinforces the ego thus creating the separation of self and God, Duality.

What seems to confuse many is our ability to use our mind, thus thinking that we have control of our mind and making all of those thoughts ours. A better was to see it is to picture our mind as a computer that only we have access to. The computer is on and is constantly spewing information/data/code/headlines or however you would like to picture it. Now once in a while we want to use it. Something like how much is 2+2. It gives us the answer and then goes right back to what it was doing. Also notice that the thoughts (when we are not actually thinking) are almost always something in the past or future. If your thoughts are in the past people are prone to regret and grief. If your thoughts are in the future people are prone to fear. Before I used to meditate I was just like the OP focused on the thoughts of the future and just about paralyzed with fear.

The way to overcome this is to look at the thoughts as they come up and to not identify with them, to only see them as options, options that you get to choose. With practice (meditation/contemplation) this becomes increasingly easier. Then you begin to experience true peace.

Once a person no-longer identifies with their thoughts (EGO) they can be said to be enlightened and the worries of this world no longer exist.

This could have been written by myself, I agree 100%.

Just remember, you aren't alone.

What would you say you feel more? Panic? Fear? Rage?

I find myself being very depressed. It's not the best, granted, but it drives me to learn more. I feel when I understand something more (Like say, the plethora of reasons why marijuana has been kept illegal since Al Capone's days) it helps make it more manageable. When I can talk to someone and educate them or help open their eyes makes me feel even better. Spread knowledge to those who will listen.

Read the tao te ching and practice meditation. You will find peace.

We were all sheep once.

Unless you grew up in a very unusual household.

Tupak was one guy who knew the score since a young age.

It will last until we stop it.

The level of technology used in the suppression is increasing. Soon it will be impossible to fight back.

Somewhere someone is being either illegally detained, tortured, murdered, or oppressed.

Worse: Somewhere someone is being legally tortured, murdered, or oppressed.

"Hi, we're here to kill your baby, what's that you say?, no,no,no, here, look right here, you see, it's the law, say's right here, we can kill your baby, attached you say?, had him for a year and half, you say? looking forward to raising him?, sorry, say's so right here...WE CAN KILL YOUR BABY, sorry mam' law's the law"

central bankers

You can't live life in a bubble, but you can not live in fear either. The fear is the driving force of the opposition. Too be unafraid is to be victorious against their agenda. To also realize that this existence is a microscopic blip on the universal radar, then you can sleep a little easier. At least I do. I see beyond the fear, beyond what they want you to think, and live life in the present. May sound a little Buddhist, but that is where I get it from. Fear is the hindrance of humanity. Too live without fear is too live free.

Hopeless is just a step away from fearless, my friend. Hang in there, and keep breathing.

You are not alone. It may feel that way, but you aren't. I feel the same way, that I get to live with food everyday and a roof, while people are dying and starving. That we could be helping those people with the money we're spending on foreign wars and surveillance. The original Americans turned to fighting for what they believed in. Maybe it's high time the real Americans do the same.

Smoke weed erryday.

You are not alone.

thats what they want, they want you to be scared

I think you just clarified what it means to "wake up". A lot more things finally make sense now I'll bet too.

Move!

Where does notloz2 suggest?

Canada.

ahahahahahahaha

ahahahahahahaha

There are start up guides on the internet, I'd link you but I'm mobile at the moment. I googled "how to start a community garden" and was surprised at the amount of info I found. The parks dept. in your town should be able to give you info on land that's available, paperwork, etc. Hope that helps!