# How do I stop? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2019, 12:40am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542 "2019-06-30T00:40:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lausten](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/lausten/32/23705_2.png) [@lausten](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lausten)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/21 "2019-07-02T19:27:30Z")
What psychological experiments? ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/22 "2019-07-02T20:04:13Z")
Like the cases in which they ask the participants about how they are feeling or what they report. BUt the issue I have comes with anecdotes and how compelling they are when it comes to what people are preaching. That is my biggest hurdle. ---
**Author:** ![lausten](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/lausten/32/23705_2.png) [@lausten](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lausten)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/23 "2019-07-02T22:31:25Z")
> Like the cases in which they ask the participants about how they are feeling or what they report. What cases? What reports? Anecdotes and preaching are not hurdles. I don’t believe that you really are bothered by them at all. ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/24 "2019-07-02T23:42:23Z")
I am. As I linked in the above, the stories seem compelling enough to make it true. They talk about how their lives have changed or how the realize that they don’t need as much as they used to, that they can see so clearly now without all their perceptions about others. That they see for who they are. It’s similar with other trans formative experiences others have had with Eastern meditation, that it makes me think it might be true. ---
**Author:** ![lausten](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/lausten/32/23705_2.png) [@lausten](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lausten)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 7:26am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/25 "2019-07-03T07:26:24Z")
> They talk about how their lives have changed You know nothing about these people. Maybe they were greedy bastards who beat their children, then they went to this meditation and some people convinced them that was wrong. There are many paths to being a better person. Some people get it from church. Some get it from the [Church of Satan](https://www.churchofsatan.com/eleven-rules-of-earth/). The problems happen when they connect what they learned to the source and then claim that source is the only source and other sources are evil. Or even if they just stop listening to other ideas or reading other material and listen only to their guru. Many children think their dad is the smartest, then they grow up and find out their are other dads that are also pretty smart. Time for you to grow up Xian. The reason you can’t sort these out and find the one true source of wisdom is there is no one true source of wisdom. I’ve had gas station attendants say enlightened things to me. Should I lament that there aren’t gas stations attendants anymore? You are making things up, like psychology experiments, and not even bothering to verify you’re own thoughts, let alone think critically about someone who enjoyed a yoga retreat. ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/26 "2019-07-03T17:27:25Z")
Ok so I looked into it and it directs me to this which is what the subtraction meditation was: [The Subtraction Method | Woo Myung](http://woomyung.com/meditation-method/meditation-method/)   Looking into it even more it seems like it is some kind of cult from the people who talk about it or those who have left it. To be honest I kind of saw the red flags of this place when they asked $30 for a consultation and $200/month membership. The Buddhist center I first visited was FREE, and they accepted donations to help keep them open. Not to mention in the place I noticed they only had one book (multiple copies) for sale while the Buddhist center had literally dozens from different authors and schools and they operated as a library, you could borrow them out for a time. Even talking to the monk at the center was different since it felt like a conversation and he knew his material and could explain well. This lady felt like I was talking to something reading a script and when I mentioned other aspects of Buddhism she just echoed my remarks.   I feel so stupid, I saw all the signs and the flags and just denied it. ---
**Author:** ![citizenschallengev3](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/citizenschallengev3/32/17_2.png) [@citizenschallengev3](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/citizenschallengev3)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/27 "2019-07-03T19:33:26Z")
> I saw all the signs and the flags and just denied it. But then you saw the light. There you go. Congrats. ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/28 "2019-07-03T20:22:32Z")
I feel like such an idiot. Like one of the testimony’s:   > The cool thing about this meditation method is that it has this ability to show you who you are from a much bigger perspective than yourself. It is really hard to see yourself as yourself, so the method has this way of showing yourself from a bigger perspective. Then you get to reflect on yourself on how you actually are and you see things in yourself. And I saw things in myself that I did not realize that I had before the method. I think that is one of the biggest strength of this meditation. Speaking from my own experience, I found it really hard to bring big changes within myself but this method has helped me get rid of my habits and useless negative thoughts. I am definitely happier now and also just more relaxed. I feel better within myself and that is the best way to define happiness for me. Also, I am more focused. I mean I work with computers and it is important to have patience and really be able to focus throughout the day. I work with my head the whole day, thus it is so important to be able to be relaxed within myself. Not always trying to move, not always thinking about something else, just staying put; and the meditation has definitely helped me with that. The meditation has also improved me as a husband and father. One problem that I think in many relationships I find is; you have this expectation of the other to give you something the whole time. You want to get something from that person. And I think the meditation has changed that perspective for me and my wife. It is now more about putting in the work yourself without underlying expectations for one another. Also, this meditation has changed the way I see my children. I seem them more as the way they are than I did before as a parent and as a father. There was a certain bias that came with the strong attachment that I had for my children. Getting rid of that, I think you start to see your family in a more realistic way. This is also good for the kids, because they feel that and they feel actually more relaxed around me. Seemed so convincing. But looking at how they hide all these fees from you at later levels and how they had to change the name from their original meditation group, or how they lied about their founder receiving awards the don't exist or never even did. Even the infographics on their home page are all surveys with less than 500 people and they all come from the same place with results over 95% effective (which seems fishy). ---
**Author:** ![lausten](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.centerforinquiry.org/lausten/32/23705_2.png) [@lausten](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/lausten)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/29 "2019-07-03T20:36:30Z")
> But looking at how they hide all these fees from you at later levels and how they had to change the name from their original meditation group, or how they lied about their founder receiving awards the don’t exist or never even did. Even the infographics on their home page are all surveys with less than 500 people and they all come from the same place with results over 95% effective (which seems fishy). Nice detective work. Kinda fun, isn't it. You are definitely not an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/30 "2019-07-03T21:39:24Z")
[https://forum.culteducation.com/read.php?12,120209,page=6](https://forum.culteducation.com/read.php?12,120209,page=6) I will admit the post from the first guy on here made me doubt myself, but looking at the account date and the date of the last activity it looks like it was just a supporter of this method trying to stop the personal stories from coming out. Leafing through the pages it’s pretty evident which accounts are the truth and which are not. The last post from this anon character clearly shows that this organization has something to hide and it’s accusations aren’t rooted in ignorance or hate but from the damage caused by experience with it. Looking at my own experience, anyone who charges you for answers is suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/31 "2019-07-04T23:18:10Z")
It’s also even more suspicious that I cannot find this guy’s picture anywhere on the web. ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/32 "2019-07-05T22:34:44Z")
In regard to my first post I think it’s about being present, which seems to be the point of most Zen stories. Like how the master would randomly strike his pupils without warning. It seems crazy to most, but looking at it closer you see it’s about being fully present. If you were fully present you would dodge or defend with something. Sword training was similar in which the disciple was trained to give up defending themselves and preparing for an attack to come. ---
**Author:** ![player](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19b73/32.png) [@player](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/player)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/33 "2019-07-07T17:32:09Z")
XAIN if x -x = x/x , what is x?? ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/34 "2019-07-07T17:49:17Z")
That’s got nothing to do with this. ---
**Author:** ![player](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19b73/32.png) [@player](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/player)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/35 "2019-07-07T18:26:20Z")
So is your post on anything that matters ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/36 "2019-07-07T19:03:51Z")
That’s not true. I’m trying to solve these things and I can’t do it on my own. ---
**Author:** ![player](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19b73/32.png) [@player](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/player)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/37 "2019-07-07T19:09:12Z")
Trivial stuff in the scheme of things ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/38 "2019-07-07T21:20:20Z")
It’s not trivial, it’s questions about the nature of existence. ---
**Author:** ![player](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19b73/32.png) [@player](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/player)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 12:56am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/39 "2019-07-08T00:56:05Z")
All you have publisized is a lack critical thinking skills ---
**Author:** ![snowcity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@snowcity](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/u/snowcity)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542/40 "2019-07-08T01:52:33Z")
I don’t think critical thinking helps answer the fundamental questions of being and existence. [Previous page](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.centerforinquiry.org/t/how-do-i-stop/6542.md?page=3)