do traditions get outdated ? why , when and how ? also if and when should taboos be broken ?

[suninmyeyes]

Curious to hear what you people here think .

Article about girl marrying dog invoked a train of thoughts on this today ..

 

Everything is subject to change .

What about traditions ( spiritual ) ? Is it better if they move with times and are altered ? At what point is this best recgonised ? Would you be able to recgonise it ?

Does a tradition that has been unchanged stagnate ? Is there a totally unchanged tradition ?

 

Should taboos be broken ? Or is there deep wisdom embodying taboos that shoud not be tempered with ? All taboos or just some ?

What is a relationship between traditions and taboos ?

Edited December 17, 2014 by suninmyeyes

[Jetsun]

In my opinion nearly all traditions are already dead. Some threads survive by being dynamic, it is only through being dynamic and changing that anything can live.

 

Most of them were created for people who lived completely different sorts of lives with completely different belief systems than what most of us live today. People who work with their hands and work the land all day every day are going to be grounded in a completely different aspect of their being than people who spend a good proportion of the day up in their mind or staring at computer screens.

[beyonder]

"In ancient times, people lived holistic lives. They didn't overemphasize the intellect, but integrated mind, body, and spirit in all things. This allowed them to become masters of knowledge rather than victims of concepts. If a new invention appeared, they looked for the troubles it might cause as well as the shortcuts it offered. They valued old ways that had been proven effective, and they valued new ways if they could be proven effective. If you want to stop being contused, then emulate these ancient folk: join your body, mind, and spirit in all you do. Choose food, clothing, and shelter that accords with nature. Rely on your own body for transportation. Allow your work and your recreation to be one and the same. Do exercise that develops your whole being and not just your body. Listen to music that bridges the three spheres ofyour being. Choose leaders for their virtue rather than their wealth or power. Serve others and cultivate yourself simultaneously. Understand that true growth comes from meeting and solving the problems of life in a way that is harmonizing to yourself and to others. If you can follow these simple old ways, you will be continually renewed."

Hua Hu Ching, Walker translation, chapter 43

[thelerner]

Traditions can be wonderful bonding experiences. The best ones strengthen the family bond and link us to past generations. Nothing wrong with allowing them to evolve with the times as long as their essence remains. Matter of fact its that evolution that's kept them alive.

[silent thunder]

Thankfully yes, traditions get outdated.

 

All aspects of culture change, some just quicker than others. Language, fashion, food, social mores are all shifting constantly.

I mean, it used to be a tradition in America to own people... fortunately, we realized that was a shitty tradition and it's now outdated.

[Astral Monk]

Taboos are culturally conditioned. They should change as cultures evolve.

 

Some traditional practices are well-defined--so much so that their form had reached its apex and ought to be performed, followed, expressed, or otherwise practiced as is. The embody a niche of human experience. The Buddha-realization is always the same in all times and spaces.

 

How to know? Practicality--if the practice is effective in achieving its aim why would one seek innovation?

 

8)

Edited December 18, 2014 by Astral Monk

[johndoe2012]

.

Edited January 9, 2015 by chris d

[doc benway]

Curious to hear what you people here think .

Article about girl marrying dog invoked a train of thoughts on this today ..

 

Everything is subject to change .

What about traditions ( spiritual ) ? Is it better if they move with times and are altered ? At what point is this best recgonised ? Would you be able to recgonise it ?

Does a tradition that has been unchanged stagnate ? Is there a totally unchanged tradition ?

 

Should taboos be broken ? Or is there deep wisdom embodying taboos that shoud not be tempered with ? All taboos or just some ?

What is a relationship between traditions and taboos ?

I think that people change, societies change, and hence tradition changes.

Traditions become what they are, in part, because they work, they are there for a reason.

They withstood the test of time at some point in history.

We can learn wonderful lessons from them and they can enrich our lives.

It is equally important to recognize when they no longer serve their original purpose and may even be counter-productive.

People tend to get stuck out of habit and change can be frightening and painful.

 

One of my favorite stories from the beautiful Anthony Demello goes like this -

(for those with a Jesus or God-aversion, substitute your preferred words in the appropriate places)

 

Where’s the Fire?

"There was a man who invented the art of making fire. He took his tools and went to a tribe in the north, where it was very cold, bitterly cold. He taught the people there to make fire. The people were very interested. He showed them the uses to which they could put fire: they could cook, could keep themselves warm, etc. They were so grateful that they had learned the art of making fire. But before they could express their gratitude to the man, he disappeared. He wasn’t concerned with getting their recognition or gratitude; he was concerned about their well-being. He went to another tribe, where he again began to show them the value of his invention. People were interested there too, a bit too interested for the peace of mind of their priests, who began to notice that this man was drawing crowds and they were losing their popularity. So they decided to do away with him. They poisoned him, crucified him, put it any way you like. But they were afraid now that the people might turn against them, so they were very wise, even wily. Do you know what they did? They had a portrait of the man made and mounted it on the main altar of the temple. The instruments for making fire were placed in front of the portrait, and the people were taught to revere the portrait and to pay reverence to the instruments of fire, which they dutifully did for centuries. The veneration and the worship went on, but there was no fire.

 

Where’s the fire? Where’s the love? Where’s the freedom? This is what spirituality is all about. Tragically, we tend to lose sight of this, don’t we? This is what Jesus Christ is all about. But we overemphasized the “Lord, Lord,” didn’t we? Where’s the fire? And if worship isn’t leading to the fire, if adoration isn’t leading to love, if the liturgy isn’t leading to a clearer perception of reality, if God isn’t leading to life, of what use is religion except to create more division, more fanaticism, more antagonism? It is not from lack of religion in the ordinary sense of the word that the world is suffering, it is from lack of love, lack of awareness. And love is generated through awareness and through no other way, no other way. Understand the obstructions you are putting in the way of love, freedom, and happiness and they will drop. Turn on the light of awareness and the darkness will disappear."

- Anthony DeMello

Edited December 18, 2014 by steve

[mYTHmAKER]

Before a tradition gets to be a tradition it is an act appropriate in the moment.

Once there was a group led by a wise man.

The group would chant and meditate as part of their practice.

One day a cat adopted them.

The only problem was every time they meditated the cat would disturb them.

They asked their masted what they should do.

The master told them to take the cat outside and tie it to tree so it would no longer disturb them.

They did this and everything was fine. They could meditate in peace.

The master was very old and he died.

The cat - a kitten - lived for a long time so many many years later it died.

All the original disciples were no longer around.

So what did the younger disciples do when the cat died?

They went and bought another cat and every time they meditated they took the new cat out and tied it to a tree.

Edited December 19, 2014 by mYTHmAKER

[dawei]

Traditions forever live on... they are updated...

[thelerner]

Before a tradition gets to be a tradition it is an act appropriate in the moment.

Once there was a group led by a wise man.

The group would chant and meditate as part of their practice.

One day a cat adopted them.

The only problem was every time they meditated the cat would disturb them.

They asked their masted what they should do.

The master told them to take the cat outside and tie it to tree so it would no longer disturb them.

They did this and everything was fine. They could meditate in peace.

The master was very old and he died.

The cat - a kitten - lived for a long time so many many years later it died.

All the original disciples were no longer around.

So what did the younger disciples do when the cat died?

They went and bought another cat and every time they meditated they took the new cat out and tied it to a tree.

While on the face, its ridiculous. The meditate with cat group has some advantages. As long as they don't get overly hung up about it, you can learn much by a cats posture and awareness. The cat becomes a symbol and reminder of whats good about the group. Unless its taken too far, the metaphor taken too literally. When symbolism becomes a crutch instead of a pointer.