The Spiritual Path

[Bhaktajan II]

Religion is what the ruling classes dreamt up to control the rest of us and if you are prepared to be duped like that then fine.

IMO this is mostly incorrect.

What dictator is famous for inforcing a religion? Which religion?

Lenin Marxism in Russia ... Mao Communists in China ... Poh Pot in Cambodia ... Marcos in the phillipines ... Hiro Hito in Japan ... Mussilini in Italy ... Castro in Cuba ... Idi Amin in Congo ... Omar Khadafy in Libya ...

---were these guys famous for NEW TRANSLATIONS OF THE SCRIPTURE?

 

[MARIE NICKERSON]

So many words, so many concepts! We're supposed to have enough religion between us to dissolve out our differences. Time to get in my bod.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

So many words, so many concepts! We're supposed to have enough religion between us to dissolve out our differences. Time to get in my bod.

This thread is about "The Spiritual Path"

IMO you are pointing out the "Tax-Code" law books.

No one starts a revolution over the "Tax-Code" law books . . . or . . . do they?

btw:

Time to get in my bod.

Is this Spam?

. . . anyway . . . back on task!

 

[MARIE NICKERSON]

dear bhaktajan, not spam. It is a very spiritual thing to be fully in your body, grounded in reality and body wisdom. We're smarter that way and more compassionate. A good massage will help with this, a guided meditation to get you into your bod (body), or some good plain old hard physical work, or sports.

 

[Thomas]

It is a very spiritual thing to be fully in your body, grounded in reality and body wisdom.

Agreed ... but it's also widely regarded to be 'very spiritual' when in fact one is grounded in one's own psyche, and in reality not very 'spiritual' (whatever that means) at all.

And what of austerities and asceticism of the the shaman, the the yamabushi, the monk or nun?

We're smarter that way and more compassionate.

Than what?

A good massage will help with this, a guided meditation to get you into your bod (body), or some good plain old hard physical work, or sports.

But that's nothing to do with spirituality, really. Get's the endorphins going, but that's not really what we're talking about.

God bless,

Thomas

 

[wil]

I think it is a mix....those confined to their respective religions have a bias that they have issues getting beyond, whether you are dyed in the wool, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist or whatever you are married to your belief, your books, your mentors and will have issues looking out of the box....in just the beginning of every conversation you would just so much like to 'save' the other, get them to 'see' the light, and 'understand' the 'truth' as you know it.

We are all in the same boat..... I'm there too, so is the Atheist and Satanist, so we really should learn to get along....

But as I see, it and I may as well get this out before you toss me to the sharks... Spiritual is what we WERE as individuals....then someone decided to write down their interpretation of the discussions they were hearing or heard as a child, and someone else wrote down their understanding, and others disagreed in whole cloth or on some principle or some nuances so their stories circulated and were written... It may have begun with power and greed in mind...or it may have begun with the insistence that their story be recorded as they knew it or it could have been without and malice or forthought....

regardless, has been warped over the years, centuries....and is not without original intent....but one needs to look past a lot to find it.

 

[Nicholas Weeks]

Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divine within by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy —by one, or more, or all of these— and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details.

Swami Vivekananda

 

[SalixIncendium]

Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divine within by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy —by one, or more, or all of these— and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details.

Swami Vivekananda

I've never been fond of the word "potentially" in this quote. From my perspective, the true nature of each "soul" is divine, but as a result of attachment and desire vis-à-vis ego, people, in general, are ignorant of this nature. But I agree with Vivekananda on everything beyond the first sentence.