Consider quitting or significantly reducing engagement with social media platforms like Twitter (X) if you find it negatively impacting your mental health, making you misanthropic, or distorting your view of others. Sam Harris found deleting his account to be a “huge life hack” for improving personal well-being.
Be mindful of “ordinary distraction” and the tendency to be “lulled into a very pleasant kind of dream life” through superficial pleasures. Strive to “sink into the well of being” by connecting with the depth of the present moment through contemplative practice.
Practice Vipassana meditation by focusing attention on the sensations of breathing. When the mind wanders into thought, gently bring attention back to the raw sensation of the breath to cultivate mindfulness and insight into the impermanent nature of phenomena.
Approach non-dual mindfulness by recognizing that the nature of your mind is already free of a separate self; the “thing to be realized is already the case.” Do not view practice as an “effortful slog” or seek specific pleasant states, as all experiences, including restlessness and frustration, can reveal this underlying awareness.
Practice “looking for the looker” to realize the non-dual nature of consciousness. If frustration arises from this practice, observe and meditate on the feeling of frustration itself, rather than resisting it.
Practice Metta (loving-kindness) meditation by systematically sending well-wishes (e.g., “May you be happy, safe, healthy, and live with ease”) to various beings: starting with an easy person, then yourself, a neutral person, a mentor, a difficult person, and finally all beings.
Engage in Metta meditation to improve concentration and raise your baseline level of warmth and compassion. This practice fosters a different ethical and psychological foundation for relationships, promoting well-wishing for others’ success and freedom from suffering.
When practicing Metta, question “Who is sending the loving kindness?” to align the practice with non-dual awareness by investigating the nature of the ‘self’ that appears to be sending the wishes. Even if dualistic, engaging in Metta changes the character of your mind positively.
Recognize that being “captured by a thought” and identifying with it is analogous to being in a dream or a state of delusion. Observe this process to understand the “psychotic” nature of allowing one’s happiness to depend entirely on these self-arising thoughts.
Recognize that the “emptiness” or “selflessness” of experience is available in any moment, even ordinary ones, by noticing that there is no central ‘self’ or ‘observer’ to experience.
In meditation, distinguish between being distracted and undistracted. The goal is to clearly recognize the mind in the present moment, rather than being identified with, lost in, or captivated by thought.
While Vipassana can help manage attachments, be aware that the process of managing attachment can inadvertently reinforce the sense of a separate ‘self’ (the ‘me’ that is managing).
Reflect on the “missing tourist” analogy to understand that the search for a ‘self’ or the solution to problems stemming from a perceived self is often based on a false premise. The insight is not finding something new, but realizing something was never lost or missing.
Maintain a skeptical yet open-minded stance towards metaphysical claims or alleged “superpowers” from meditation. Critically evaluate the lack of empirical evidence, especially given the potential for profound positive impact if such powers were demonstrably real.