A Sad Story

[Sloppy Zhang]

Featured on AOL news today was this article here. To sum it all up, a college student goes off and beings exploring alternative lifestyles and spiritual seeking, writing stuff such as:

 

"I believe in emitting love, peace and positive energy," Christine wrote in the "About Me" section of her MySpace profile. "I'm loving life, wonderful experiences, enlightenment and beautiful people! Starting ... yoga [training] which is going to be a great journey. Playing in the dirt at an organic farm, which is one of the most beautiful communities I've been a part of."

 

But then:

 

On Nov. 12, 2008, Christine showed up on the doorstep of a rural home outside of Arcata, Calif. She was naked and had briar scratches on her body. The homeowner called police and she was taken to a hospital.

 

Then she disappeared.

 

"Christine's case is somewhat unusual," private investigator Thomas Lauth told AOL News. "She seemed to be a person that was experimenting in life and looking into different sorts of cultures, trying to learn as much about her inner self as possible. I think that sometimes when a person is exploring like that, they perhaps meet bad people. In Christine's case, I think that the people she met probably allowed her to explore but didn't realize some of her naivety."

 

Seems like there has only been negative stories dealing with spiritual seeking self help gurus getting people killed, people experimenting with drugs and losing their minds. It's really hard to find some positive coverage these days about spiritual seeking.

 

What can we do to help spread healthy, safe spiritual seeking?

[Sahaj Nath]

um... not to sound like a jerk (don't you hate it when people start discussions like that?), but i don't know anyone who began or ended their spiritual journey based on a news article.

 

maybe what i'm really trying to say is that i don't accept your premise. it's unfortunate that these types of things occur, but i would never interpret these stories as a PR problem that requires a call to action.

 

*shrugs*

 

besides, when i was younger i did all the crazy & dangerous stuff, too. and my mother, a former drug addict (among other things) actually encouraged my behavior as "walking a higher path," which, compared to her youthful exploits, it probably was!

 

i don't know. it is what it is. i don't see 'spiritual seeking' being endangered because of it.

Edited March 14, 2010 by Hundun

[Sloppy Zhang]

um... not to sound like a jerk (don't you hate it when people start discussions like that?), but i don't know anyone who began or ended their spiritual journey based on a news article.

 

maybe what i'm really trying to say is that i don't accept your premise. it's unfortunate that these types of things occur, but i would never interpret these stories as a PR problem that requires a call to action.

 

*shrugs*

 

besides, when i was younger i did all the crazy & dangerous stuff, too. and my mother, a former drug addict (among other things) actually encouraged my behavior as "walking a higher path," which, compared to her youthful exploits, it probably was!

 

i don't know. it is what it is. i don't see 'spiritual seeking' being endangered because of it.

 

Nah, you didn't sound like a jerk!

 

It's okay if you don't agree.

 

It's just that, you would be surprised how impressionable people are (of course, you'd also be surprised at how resilient people are.... guess it goes both ways )

 

But it's not surprising, when you tell people you'd like to go on, say, a meditation retreat, that they respond by talking about the sweat lodge guy. And I wouldn't be surprised if someone reading this article responded negatively to someone they knew expressing interest in alternative lifestyles and stuff like that.

 

So maybe not bad all across the board.... but certainly it doesn't help

[NeiChuan]

 

 

But it's not surprising, when you tell people you'd like to go on, say, a meditation retreat, that they respond by talking about the sweat lodge guy. And I wouldn't be surprised if someone reading this article responded negatively to someone they knew expressing interest in alternative lifestyles and stuff like that.

 

So maybe not bad all across the board.... but certainly it doesn't help

 

Ah yeah assuming to much would just make someone to defensive to actually approach anyway.. Good to spread awareness of people like that though.. I mean Cult leaders.. Be good if they had investigators for that kinda've thing lol. Good ones I mean.

[baiqi]

Good, this is a thing I can refer to:

 

I didn't need to read any newspaper...I personally met someone who one versed in spirituality, had a very developed sensitivity to energies surrounding, and was, I believe, dedicated to help others.

Last time I heard about this guy, he was in a mental asylum. He probably is still there.

 

 

So, I also started to ask myself the same kind of questions.

 

"What can we do to help spread healthy, safe spiritual seeking"

 

I think this is an excellent question, not just for such pathologic cases. We could also talk about genuine soul searchers whose teachings were turned into fanatical and dogmatic religions...

 

One thing: safe spiritual seeking. To me, there is no such thing. Spirituality is a "warrior" thing. Read about any serious soul searcher's life: there is no such thing as security...Sorry

However, we can reduce the risks. Driving a car is dangerous, but there are safer ways to drive than others.

 

I think one of the key things is clarity about what a spiritual is and what it isn't.

Examples:

- following a spiritual path does NOT make you healthier, although it may indirectly help you cure.

- following a spiritual path does NOT make you richer, more powerful, loved and so on.

 

There would be lots of things to add, but I think this is already a starting point: ask yourself WHY and WHAT you are searching, and be 100 percent honest with yourself.

 

Also, I must be clear about it: the modern world HATES spirituality. Why so? Because it would die if people were actually doing soul searching. Imagine how many factories would close if people stopped to buy things they don't really need...

 

So when you start, or if you already have, think that you will be under attack: not physically (can happen though...), but mainly mentally. By the people around you, maybe your family members. By their words, their call to "come back into reality" and such. By yourself, the part of you who is scared to leave what you knew real...and so on.

As I said, this is a warrior thing.

 

Oh, and I forgot the media: it is very unlikely they emphasize the good side of spiritual search. Rather, they will emphasize the pathological cases such as this one.

 

What we can do to spread healthy spirituality? Simple, but not easy, follow a spiritual path and become ourselves balanced, happy individuals. That's the best ad we can do for it.

[lifeforce]

Good, this is a thing I can refer to:

 

I didn't need to read any newspaper...I personally met someone who one versed in spirituality, had a very developed sensitivity to energies surrounding, and was, I believe, dedicated to help others.

Last time I heard about this guy, he was in a mental asylum. He probably is still there.

 

 

So, I also started to ask myself the same kind of questions.

 

"What can we do to help spread healthy, safe spiritual seeking"

 

I think this is an excellent question, not just for such pathologic cases. We could also talk about genuine soul searchers whose teachings were turned into fanatical and dogmatic religions...

 

One thing: safe spiritual seeking. To me, there is no such thing. Spirituality is a "warrior" thing. Read about any serious soul searcher's life: there is no such thing as security...Sorry

However, we can reduce the risks. Driving a car is dangerous, but there are safer ways to drive than others.

 

I think one of the key things is clarity about what a spiritual is and what it isn't.

Examples:

- following a spiritual path does NOT make you healthier, although it may indirectly help you cure.

- following a spiritual path does NOT make you richer, more powerful, loved and so on.

 

There would be lots of things to add, but I think this is already a starting point: ask yourself WHY and WHAT you are searching, and be 100 percent honest with yourself.

 

Also, I must be clear about it: the modern world HATES spirituality. Why so? Because it would die if people were actually doing soul searching. Imagine how many factories would close if people stopped to buy things they don't really need...

 

So when you start, or if you already have, think that you will be under attack: not physically (can happen though...), but mainly mentally. By the people around you, maybe your family members. By their words, their call to "come back into reality" and such. By yourself, the part of you who is scared to leave what you knew real...and so on.

As I said, this is a warrior thing.

 

Oh, and I forgot the media: it is very unlikely they emphasize the good side of spiritual search. Rather, they will emphasize the pathological cases such as this one.

 

What we can do to spread healthy spirituality? Simple, but not easy, follow a spiritual path and become ourselves balanced, happy individuals. That's the best ad we can do for it.

 

Lovely, well thought out post. Thank you for that.

[Birch]

Hum. A "spiritual" path might need some defining. I consistently suggest to myself that there are big differences between "spirituality" and "religion" as well as bleedthrough. Many vehicles.

 

"Safe" for me includes:

 

- examples of people (if not actual guidance from teachers) who have gone through similar with similar results

 

- help when things hit the fan (which they likely will at some point whatever the vehicle). Fine with warriordom but to sit back while someone else suffers knowing full well what you could to to help alleviate is IMO just cruelty

 

- teaching useful techniques (or if a teacher of a technique with inherent risks - being available for when things hit the fan)

 

- no expectation on the part of anyone (teacher or otherwise) that I will adopt any agenda they might wish to pass off on me either as part of the teaching or as a result

 

- no abuse of me period. At times I may not be operating at my best (because I just tore down a belief system and I'm in full cognitive dissonance for example)

[fizix]

Ah.... the term "spiritual seeking", such a questionable phrase! We must stop seeking, and start being. . . our true nature. Why seek for something that we already are? Stop seeking. A spiritual journey is someone's own; there are as many journey's as their are people, and then some (let us not forget the higher realms ). . . attempting a generalized guide of parameters in a spiritual journey is only a hindering hypocrisy.

Peace and Love

[ralis]

I started another thread today on authoritarianism. I believe this is why people get into trouble following any religion or spiritual path.

 

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/13977-authoritarianism/

 

ralis