Yes some times life might be plagued with doom and giant challenges unfair to the observer, not all will grow and prosper, such is the curse of our existance, even stars shatter and die, i guess the question now is why? why me? why him?.

There is no me or him there is us, the mass, the stream, you exist because of others and you will cease because you are finite, but is your sole existance and your choices what shapes all around you, it is your existance what feeds others, one tip of the root that gives and takes life from everything.

And the object of life is to create, express, exist, propagate beyond any and all frontiers, because is in the former where life can shine on its own over the absolute, there is no bigger gift in this universe than opening the windows to your soul and taking a glance of existence.

Thanks for writing your comment – I love hearing from teens on this, or any subject really.

I hope you don’t think you need to wait until 18 to start meditating daily. It doesn’t take long. Sit for 20 minutes a night, that might be all you’ll need initially.

Good luck and best of life to you…

Vern

P.S. Because I’m still a child by standard of numbers, I haven’t had much of a chance to meditate, but I did begin it at the beginning of this year in search of the jhana you speak of, termed Samadhi in Hinduism. May your soul be at peace through your journey as I hope mine will soon be.

The good thing is – when you’re 18, you can do what you want. Make it known to them now that you might decide to go move to Chile when you can – with or without their support. So many teens think they are still trapped at 18, and don’t do what they want. Much better for you to do what you want – if you’re 100% sure you’ll be safe where you’re going.

Living in a country outside of the US – you’re in the USA – yeah? – is relaxing. Thailand, where I’m at now – is VERY relaxing. Laos – same. Cambodia – same. Malaysia, not so much so – but, similar. Hawaii – same.

Where do you live now? Age? Who would you live with in Chile? Why Chile?

From my own perspective though – the best thing appears to be – to help others get through this life. That’s about it. I can’t see anything else worth doing really.

Thanks again for your comment!

Detaching from life, or from the normal things in life, is just deterring or diverting yourself from life. And being alive but not living.

Detaching is a mistake. But embracing life fully in everything that is possible to do, is the best we can do to live and make the best worthwhile and purposeful life we can.

But it is not true for lowering yourself to so little that you live in poverty or without basic things, like those people who are living in poverty and just struggling to survive.

And that there is some high and worthwhile value in human existence, to try to have more, and have a better life than something low or just surviving, especially for those who are maimed in wars or poor, and in the lower standards of living.

Most people who get to this thinking of giving up many things in life and need to get rid of material things, and reduce the things surrounding them. Are people who have had mental illness, depression and emotional breakdowns, and information overload, stress, and found all the requirements, or material things, and inputs, and affects, too much for them. (This is probably at least half of the world though, or even most of us, at some time. Although a lot do get back to be strong, because they don’t look for the enlightenment route and reducing things in their life, they try to keep at the same level and go back to living the life they had before, or learn to be stronger in life). And their mind is totally confused and mixed up, and that they can’t fix it and become back like they were before, when they coped and managed with normal life. And so the only way they can get over this breakdown and stress and inability to cope with their life as they had managed with up until then, is to start cutting things, or activities, or work, or responsibilities, or people, or other things, out of their life. And to get really a lack of everything in life, including lack emotionally and lack of challenges mentally (because they need to avoid stress).

I am saying that because I’ve experienced it too. And to be honest I think anyone who is talking about enlightenment, including western monks, nuns, buddhist monks in asian countries, everyone that cuts themselves off from life, in a temple, or in their own home in a western country and cuts off from work, activities, things of life, or people. Are people who have had a mental breakdown (in other words stress that lasted too long, and then led to depression, which then led to low confidence, or low self esteem and lack of social , or other life skills, lack of ability to live normal life and to be strong against it’s challenges).
And so these people are weak (they are not strong), because they had reached the point of too much stress and pressure, and after they reached the point, they couldn’t go back to the strength of before. So they are left damaged, and with less skills to face life than before. And compensated by cutting themselves out of life more, and isolating either socially, or from pressures and challenges more.
If you isolate from things, it is because you are weaker, not stronger.

The aim should be to try and get strong again. Not to try and isolate yourself out of hard things in life more.

So my summary is that enlightenment, or isolating and reducing yourself in life, is not making you stronger, it is making you weak. (And those people don’t get back into a normal life like they had had before. It is not because they found a better way and the old life was so bad. It is just because they can’t be strong enough to cope and live a normal life again).

And so the real purpose of life is to keep trying to get back to be strong, if at any time you have been broken and lost it.

Anyone who tries to follow this thinking in that post, to help them, is going to end up going into directions of confusion, and even more mixed up and crazy.

In my opinion people should avoid it. And read the other comments to look for more clear sense that does make rational sense. Where they can find it.

The page, and comments overall are good.

You’re not alone man… at 15, you don’t know your elbow from your backside. I was there – I knew less than you. Give it a couple years and see what you figure out about life. Life is a giant puzzle and you can figure out pieces of it… and then other pieces start to make sense. Will you ever figure it all out? Someone has to… maybe that is the point from god’s perspective… give them a nearly unsolvable puzzle – and see if they can figure it all out.

I’m still trying… I hope you do too.

Teens are SO tough to get through for some people… all of us had trouble to some degree. Depression is the NORM for many teen kids. I want to give you a copy of “Kicking Life’s Ass!” for free – will send it to your email. If you read it – great. If not – no worries, there’s no exam. LOL. I think it will help you get an even better perspective on what is important in life… and honestly, there isn’t much! hahaha – Ok, will zap you the ebook in a few minutes. Cheers man – keep smiling… it’s the best alternative… Vern

I know enlightened person.

Have you tried surfing at all? Wouldn’t it be similar? Sort of?