I seem to be noticing a trend to just want to skip over any long, lengthy posts recently and I am wondering if this is just a phase or whether its a symptom of wanting a more balanced, peaceful mind and avoiding anything that seems, at first glace, might drag me into something heavy.

The reason I say that is that more often than not I find that longer posts are the argumentative posts, and the poster needs more time to setup and defend thier argument. Either that, or they cannot be consise enough to express thier point succinctly. Or perhaps its a post which is very intellectual, with loads of acedemic type references.

Wow. Now I come to type this out, I am seeing alot of aversion to a lot of posts!! haha! Perhaps it is just a phase then. Anyway, interested if others identify with this phenomenon, or have been though a similar phase, or noticed a change in thier level of engagement in the forum since joining...

By the way, no offence is intended by this. Everyone is obviously free to post in whatever style they like. Its just an observation I noticed in my reactions to these things, and its that which I am keen to discuss, (not the rights and wrongs of posting styles - which of course there arent any)

I notice phases where I don't even care to come here at all, I'm kinda in such a phase right now. There definitely seems to be a tie in between the evolution of practice and posting/browsing habits.

I'd say it depends on where one is. If one is currently in a 'grinding' phase where they just need to put in hours, there is no point in reading stuff. If they need to re-examine something like concentration they may need to read and read and read. If they need to do a phase of psychological work, reading a lot might be a big part of that. I think its much more the case that people read too much than practice too much. I'm sure there will be many lurkers reading this very topic who would best be served by closing their browser and spending 20-60 minutes practicing instead!

Whew!   b man, that was a long post, I almost skipped over it!  

Hey, I know what you are saying, and I cringe when my own posts get too long, Arrgghh, and even then there is so much that I have to leave unsaid...

But, yeah, I agree with ya, sometimes I like to go to DHO and pick up a little insight or two, and Bam!  Walls and walls of words, overwhelming...  Sometimes sheets and sheets of words.

And, besides all that, thoughts are usually disturbing and unsettling, thoughts themselves arise from conflict, and so create conflict...

Just to pass along information, 

I have bookmarks on my browser, one of them is a meditation timer, sometimes I just force myself to click the timer and start a short meditation, just helps me to break the internet browsing cycle, and I just see where it takes me, even if it is only for ten minutes. Helps me to shake up old habit patterns.

http://medivate.com/timer/


Psi

And, I do want to add, that within these Dho internet walls and sheets of words,  I have found some profound wisdom and for that I am grateful. So, big thanks to everyone for taking time out of your lives and sharing. So, for me, it is not so much the long wordy posts, but sometimes I just need a break and can not read everything posted.  Hope that clarifies.  

haha, more words....

"Je n'ai fait celle-ci plus longue que parce que je n'ai pas eu le loisir de la faire plus courte."
This (letter)  is longer than usual because I didn't have the time to make it shorter. (Pascal)