Dear yoyo fellows,
This is the second session of book sharing. Whether you attend the first session or not, it does not affect you to discuss the questions below. Those are the problems people may face in life. The book provides a different angle to interpret the problems. It inspires me a lot. That’s the reason I want to share the book with you. I hope you will like it.
Let’s see what ChatGPT say about this book:
This book is your guide to living untethered. It is based on the teachings of Michael A. Singer, a spiritual teacher and author of two New York Times bestsellers: The Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment. In these pages, you will learn how to apply his wisdom to your daily life and transform your relationship with yourself, others, and the world.
You will learn how to:
- Observe your thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them
- Release the psychological scars that block your natural energy flow
- Surrender to the flow of life and trust the intelligence of the universe
- Experience unconditional happiness and inner peace
- Realize your true nature as pure awareness
Material:
Source1: https://youtu.be/Xb_0B2ax2R8
Source2: https://booksyougottaread.com/2022/12/0 ... edicament/
Session 1:
1. There is a quote that says, “once bitten, twice shy. (一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草繩)” It represents that once people get hurt, something in their mind will be reminded while encountering a similar situation. The book provides an example: you and your friend have some unpleasant experiences, and the friend said “I don’t want to talk to you anymore.” After that, when someone didn't call you, you recall the memory and start to think did you do anything wrong, even there may be hundreds of thousands possibilities out there.
→ Could you share an example in your life? Could be a physical subject, such as food, or an uncomfortable experience, being trapped and fell in the same place.
2. The book said that if people use their free will to resist/reject an experience they dislike, the experience will become an unstable energy still in the mind. Then, when people encounter a similar situation, the incomplete status of energy is trying to flow through the mind. People will experience the same uncomfortable feeling as the first time. The book suggests that even if it's uncomfortable, people just experience that and let it go. If people compress it, it will still stay in the mind, called Karma (業) in buddhism.
→ There is an example for this situation. There is a guy you dislike. It makes you not want to see him or talk to him, and you even feel anger when someone mentions him. Could you relate the theory above to apply into this example? And what could be a better alternative way to deal with this?
3. The Rorschach Inkblot Test is a psychological test that uses images of inkblots to measure how people perceive and interpret them. The test can reveal some aspects of a person's personality, emotions, and mental health. The test is usually done by a trained psychologist who asks the person to describe what they see in each inkblot and then analyzes their responses.
→ People are provoked by those similar situations and experience uncomfortable feelings. It reflects that people are projecting their inner problem in the mind to the outside world. Do you agree with the interpretation from this book? Why or why not? Going back to your answer in question 1, what could be a better way to cope with that?
Session 2:
1. The strong personal preferences make people trapping the energy in their mind. Therefore, it is more difficult to feel inner peace. Buddhism emphasizes reducing self-centered (自我) and increasing equality (平等心).
→ Could you share your opinion about the people surrounding you who have strong preferences, what kind of life do they lead?
2. People complain about the weather raining or a car in front driving too slow. Actually, they didn’t notice that their complaints are wasting their energy on the things they cannot control. There is a quote that says “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
→ Do you agree with the quote said? Why or why not? Could you share an example when you change yourself, instead of the outside world?
3. What is your ultimate goal in your life? marrying to the person you love? Or living in a luxury house? even having a nice car to travel around? The author sees those are the same thing that all you want is a wonderful experience and feeling happiness, joy, and security inside.
→ Would you agree with this interpretation? Why or why not? Could you share your life’s goals? Are they a wonderful experience?
4. The book indicates that there are three way release the energy in the mind, which is positive thinking (virtuous), curse (咒語), witness consciousness (只要看). Guess what are they? I will answer it in the end. : )
Agenda:
3:45 ~ 4:00pm Greetings & Free Talk / Ordering Beverage or Meal / Getting Newcomer’s Information
4:00 ~ 4:10pm Opening Remarks / Newcomer’s Self-introduction / Grouping
(Session I)
4:10 ~ 4:50pm Discussion Session (40 mins)
4:50 ~ 5:10pm Summarization (20 mins)
5:10 ~ 5:15pm Regrouping / Instruction Giving / Taking a 10 Minutes Break (Intermission)
(Session II)
5:15 ~ 5:55pm Discussion Session (40 mins)
6:00 ~ 6:20pm Summarization (20 mins)
6:20 ~ 6:30pm Concluding Remarks / Announcements
Meeting Date: As shown on the Subject Line
Meeting Time: 4:00pm – 6:30pm
Meeting Venue: 丹堤咖啡 Dante Coffee (Minimum Order $85)
Address: 台北市濟南路三段25號[MAP]-捷運忠孝新生站3號出口步行3分鐘
Important Notes:
1. We advise participants to print out the discussion questions and bring them to the meeting for reference. As for the supporting articles, feel free to print them out, as well, according to your preference.
2. We suggest that participants read the articles and think about the questions in advance.
3. Newcomers should prepare a two-to-three minute self-introduction in English to deliver when called upon by the host before the start of the discussion. The host may also ask you to give brief feedback about the meeting at the conclusion of the meeting.
4. We conduct the entire meeting in English. All participants should have at least moderate English-conversation skills and be able to articulate your ideas for each discussion question.
5. We welcome newcomers and other guests to attend the meetings and join the discussion freely for two times. After that, we hope you will consider becoming a YoYo English Club member. We charge a NT$1500 lifetime membership fee, or NT$1000 for students.