spiritual pursuit is escapism

[Lucky7Strikes]

I suppose I just can't understand why people want to take the long way around, when they can just cultivate spontaneity right now and be free or 'powerful'. The n/om doesn't come to those that don't know how to let go, whether it be letting go of power or practices. It's all a dance, all music already. All you have to do is tune in, listen to the sweet sound of silence and let it move you.

There are conditions that bind you beyond your mere decision to "let go." Letting go is a practice and shouldn't be mistaken for a state to rest in. You have layers of conditioning including the physical body itself that are at the mercy of death and old age. Merely "flowing" with the winds will get you somewhere but it will leave the practitioner often complacent, or their practice of surrender will become compromised. They will accept life merely for what it is without pondering into deeper layers of their identities.

 

It is very difficult to let go and let that force unbind you deeper conditions. People of these traditions don't just sit in caves all day for nothing. They are unbinding each karmic root within them. They say "do nothing and rest in the natural states." But this is difficult. If you think it's easy you haven't faced your attachments to phenomena fully for what they are.

 

All is music and dance...ok, it's all good until your personal demons and fears are encountered. Suddenly you don't "let go" but cower in safety of habits believing it is a let go. Or maybe a sudden tragedy strikes. Or you are at your death bed not knowing who you are or what will greet you beyond the body. At that point you just have faith and accept your conditions for what it is.

 

Spirituality is escapism. No doubt about it. It's escaping from your own ignorance and the pain of cyclical existence and life and death. People who look down on this are merely speaking from their own attachments to this society.

[Lucky7Strikes]

I suppose I just can't understand why people want to take the long way around, when they can just cultivate spontaneity right now and be free or 'powerful'. The n/om doesn't come to those that don't know how to let go, whether it be letting go of power or practices. It's all a dance, all music already. All you have to do is tune in, listen to the sweet sound of silence and let it move you.

There are conditions that bind you beyond your mere decision to "let go." Letting go is a practice and shouldn't be mistaken for a state to rest in. You have layers of conditioning including the physical body itself that are at the mercy of death and old age. Merely "flowing" with the winds will get you somewhere but it will leave the practitioner often complacent, or their practice of surrender will become compromised. They will accept life merely for what it is without pondering into deeper layers of their identities.

 

It is very difficult to let go and let that force unbind you deeper conditions. People of these traditions don't just sit in caves all day for nothing. They are unbinding each karmic root within them. They say "do nothing and rest in the natural states." But this is difficult. If you think it's easy you haven't faced your attachments to phenomena fully for what they are.

 

All is music and dance...ok, it's all good until your personal demons and fears are encountered. Suddenly you don't "let go" but cower in safety of habits believing it is a let go. Or maybe a sudden tragedy strikes. Or you are at your death bed not knowing who you are or what will greet you beyond the body. At that point you just have faith and accept your conditions for what it is.

 

Spirituality is escapism. No doubt about it. It's escaping from your own ignorance and the pain of cyclical existence and life and death. People who look down on this are merely speaking from their own attachments to this society.

[eye_of_the_storm]

Well, the thing about your last sentence is that it was a misquote of me. That was my post, 'something about meekness and bending trees'.

 

I originally said "because they are wise enough to bend with the trees". You were born soft and malleable. Your mind is still soft and malleable at it's core.

 

If you practice one pointed concentration that is paying attention, yielding, bowing yourself to accommodate awareness. That awareness takes the forefront, you get out of the way. Eventually there is just that awareness. Just as through meditating on the elements you take on their characteristics, or seeing bitterness and hate in the world you take on that despair. Everything that appears difficult is secretly easy, everything that appears hard is secretly soft.

 

I suppose I just can't understand why people want to take the long way around, when they can just cultivate spontaneity right now and be free or 'powerful'. The n/om doesn't come to those that don't know how to let go, whether it be letting go of power or practices. It's all a dance, all music already. All you have to do is tune in, listen to the sweet sound of silence and let it move you.

 

I swear it originally said bend trees - not bend with trees

 

I may have misread though

[eye_of_the_storm]

There are conditions that bind you beyond your mere decision to "let go." Letting go is a practice and shouldn't be mistaken for a state to rest in. You have layers of conditioning including the physical body itself that are at the mercy of death and old age. Merely "flowing" with the winds will get you somewhere but it will leave the practitioner often complacent, or their practice of surrender will become compromised. They will accept life merely for what it is without pondering into deeper layers of their identities.

 

It is very difficult to let go and let that force unbind you deeper conditions. People of these traditions don't just sit in caves all day for nothing. They are unbinding each karmic root within them. They say "do nothing and rest in the natural states." But this is difficult. If you think it's easy you haven't faced your attachments to phenomena fully for what they are.

 

All is music and dance...ok, it's all good until your personal demons and fears are encountered. Suddenly you don't "let go" but cower in safety of habits believing it is a let go. Or maybe a sudden tragedy strikes. Or you are at your death bed not knowing who you are or what will greet you beyond the body. At that point you just have faith and accept your conditions for what it is.

 

Spirituality is escapism. No doubt about it. It's escaping from your own ignorance and the pain of cyclical existence and life and death. People who look down on this are merely speaking from their own attachments to this society.

 

good post thanks

[wayki]

i really resonate with the original post.

 

i did an article recently about those selfish spiritual people, "oh, i did 5 hours yoga na dchi gung, and i feel amazing, and the food i eat is sooo amazing too, i feel great, the rest of the world is falling to shit, but as long as i feel great its ok."

 

self absorbed or what?

 

saying this i have done the odd 100 day retreat, but not for the self, or to feel great- it it was ultimately to help others, and was deep torment with constant astral terrorism.

 

....a great master once said to me, "all you do on your spiritual path is to help other souls."

 

i once met a buddhist monk in india, so obvious she was escaping a life of torment and failed relationships - we see this so much.

 

 

____________________________________

my jibberings at www.waykiwayki.com

Edited June 7, 2012 by wayki

[eye_of_the_storm]

i really resonate with the original post.

 

i did an article recently about those selfish spiritual people, "oh, i did 5 hours yoga na dchi gung, and i feel amazing, and the food i eat is sooo amazing too, i feel great, the rest of the world is falling to shit, but as long as i feel great its ok."

 

self absorbed or what?

 

saying this i have done the odd 100 day retreat, but not for the self, or to feel great- it it was ultimately to help others, and was deep torment with constant astral terrorism.

 

....a great master once said to me, "all you do on your spiritual path is to help other souls."

 

i once met a buddhist monk in india, so obvious she was escaping a life of torment and failed relationships - we see this so much.

 

 

____________________________________

my jibberings at www.waykiwayki.com

 

 

great post Wayki I was getting off track slightly too

 

"all you do on your spiritual path is to help other souls."

 

aye - I am very tired of all the hypocrisy, contradictions and BS that comes with every religion (control) government (control) + corporation (control) ... I don't really see a difference in these things anymore.. speaking generally

 

which brings me to the conclusion the only path is my path

 

somebody posted before - if you look at the bitter state of the world etc etc you will become bitter etc

 

so don't worry about it just think happy thoughts la la la ha ha ha (more or less)

 

is willful ignorance worse than ignorance?

 

I suppose one may be bitter at the start.. which turns to anger which turns to action

 

eventually one skips bitter and anger etc and goes straight to action

 

i think this is apart of the control though... suppress all emotion that would lead to action, compassion/ empathy making the world a better place... 60% of the world is starving to death as you read this... and how many folks are just staring into space? or just watching TV all in a trance... oh yeh but thats their karma so they deserve to suffer...

 

who ever said reincarnation was real anyway? another control device keeping people in a state of fear? does having the belief in reincarnation make you reincarnate? so all those folks are in a state of fear trying to get out of hell... so they dont have to come back to hell...

 

see Christians say if you are not good you go to hell - Buddhism says you already are in hell and you have to do this and this and this to get out of hell... so everyone is chasing this dream of getting out of hell

 

while they are chasing this dream of getting out of hell, they are creating hell

Edited June 7, 2012 by White Wolf Running On Air

[zerostao]

do you know of an immortal i can speak to? i would like to

 

why not the wise shall inherit the earth?

 

what is reality?

 

I dont think there are any answers so perhaps one shouldnt ask the questions

 

even if someone gives you a key to the door/gate. to enter the door to find the things inside is your responsibility.

from the start along my path i have always been reminded that some key ingredients were patience, perseverance, and practice. these are manifestations of a strong will. they are always rewarded.

the ones who find success always have these key ingredients.

folks who are really wise do not use wisdom only to guide the thinking.

they also use it to govern their personalities.

cultivating these elements you will gradually build up a profound mind. which leads to deeper understanding to the essence of learning.

ponder as you train. you will find the deeper understanding and if you can use it in your actions, well