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peteyzen
23-12-2015, 10:07 AM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important they think self discipline is in spiritual growth, How people develop it and the benefits, of it

vespa68
23-12-2015, 10:22 AM
Self discipline for me just means to keep doing the work on facing myself, my emotions instead of denying them. I take the time to look within, meditate. It also means being good to myself and trying not to be too harsh which can be a problem sometimes with self discipline.

Free1
23-12-2015, 10:35 AM
Discipline always requires another person to frame your activities as disciplined or not. It can be a physical person but most of it comes from culture.

It requires a tremendous discipline for you to act and be like me.. But for me it is not hard at all. Only when I adopt another person's idea I believe I am disciplined or not in relation to that idea...

Even discipline is a tool and can be a trap on the path if it becomes a goal in itself. Breaking discipline I have found to useful in countering the ego.. As ego sooner or later attaches to discipline.

Gem
23-12-2015, 12:27 PM
Discipline always requires another person to frame your activities as disciplined or not. It can be a physical person but most of it comes from culture.

It requires a tremendous discipline for you to act and be like me.. But for me it is not hard at all. Only when I adopt another person's idea I believe I am disciplined or not in relation to that idea...

Even discipline is a tool and can be a trap on the path if it becomes a goal in itself. Breaking discipline I have found to useful in countering the ego.. As ego sooner or later attaches to discipline.

I think it relates more to determination, earnestness, persistence, and basically, living as one intends to.

knightofalbion
23-12-2015, 12:34 PM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important they think self discipline is in spiritual growth, How people develop it and the benefits, of it

Self-discipline is vital. You won't get far on the Path without it.

I think one needs to be pragmatic about things though. One is only human. 'You' are going to fall down, probably many times! The thing is, is to get back up and keep striving on. this is how progress is made - through persistence.

'A river cuts through rock, not because of its power but because of its persistence' (Jim Watkins)


And if there is something holding 'you' back, then better to get it out of your system beforehand, otherwise, if it has its claws in 'you' ...

Free1
23-12-2015, 02:13 PM
I think it relates more to determination, earnestness, persistence, and basically, living as one intends to.

I see all these words as included in "discipline".. To me, living as one intends is a sweeter flavour of the same substance as "dicipline". Will living by intention take you where you really would like to go?

Free1
23-12-2015, 02:14 PM
Self-discipline is vital. You won't get far on the Path without it.

I think one needs to be pragmatic about things though. One is only human. 'You' are going to fall down, probably many times! The thing is, is to get back up and keep striving on. this is how progress is made - through persistence.

'A river cuts through rock, not because of its power but because of its persistence' (Jim Watkins)


And if there is something holding 'you' back, then better to get it out of your system beforehand, otherwise, if it has its claws in 'you' ...

How far have you come? Maybe it is your dicipline holding you back :)

Miss Hepburn
23-12-2015, 03:20 PM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important
they think self discipline is in spiritual growth,
How people develop it and the benefits, of it :D Hahahahahahaha...self discipline! :tongue:

Sorry, it just makes me laugh so much.
Every single solitary day for decades my life, my hours, my days, my moments are
all about self-discipline.
Why? Because of the mind.
The nature of mind is to distract.
"You don't need to meditate today...have a slice of chocolate cake...
You don't need to go to to that Charity Benefit..."
Monkey mind as the Buddhists say.

For any spiritual development to occur the mind has to be under your personal control.
May sound hard to young people here...but, it soon gets into line,
gets on auto-pilot and isn't such a bother. :wink:

One must be acutely aware of their desires or goals.
If they do not care to notice they will be like a leaf blowing in the wind...one minute up, one minute down...
in mud or in the air with no direction...on an emotional roller coaster with a demon at the helm...
who's entire point is to steer you away from True Peace, True Self-realization, feeling the Divine Presence...
simply put, Reality...which for me is Satchitanand.
(It can be looked up for those interested.)

So this is how you develop it...know what you want...be one pointed.
Focus on the heart's desire...do what is necessary.
If it is fasting for days, this is what you do.
If it is living as a monk, this is what you do.
If it is living with no media, this is what you do.
If it is changing the diet, this is what you do.
If it is sitting for hours and hours in meditation, this is what you do.
Period...but I have a soldier mentality of one pointedness...following
direction 100%....and so far so good! :wink:

Moonglow
23-12-2015, 03:29 PM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important they think self discipline is in spiritual growth, How people develop it and the benefits, of it

Hello,

To me, if there is no desire or feel no need then chances are won't take any action to do it.

If needed to be done and no action on my part is taken then it is not going to happen or whatever it is that needs to be healed or resolved may take longer time to take place.

To me, it depends on where focus is placed and this will determine in some ways the direction that I take. Which is part of "self discipline", IMO.

Change the thinking can change the perspective and open up the mind to new ways of viewing and living ones life, IMO. At least that is what I've noticed in myself.

Free1
23-12-2015, 06:47 PM
I happened to listen to an interview with Mooji where he talks about this. A good watch if you like the guy:

"Mooji - Interview with Mooji Advaita and Neo-Advaita"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQNClM4f0uU

kris
23-12-2015, 07:22 PM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important they think self discipline is in spiritual growth, How people develop it and the benefits, of it
I think it is very important. I am saying this from the perspective of yoga as I am deeply into yoga. According to ashtAnga yoga of yoga sutra, yoga starts with two types of self-disciplines, the yamas and niyamas. These are the first two limbs of the eight limbs of yoga. Goal of yoga is integration of one's personality so that one rids oneself of self-contradictions that tend to tear us apart and lead to suffering in the world. Integration is achieved as we align the five sheaths, koshas, of our personality so that one becomes a well functioning person. As bhagavad gItA puts it, yoga is skill in functioning in the world, i.e. skill in performing actions.

For most people in the West, yoga is Asanas and may be prANAyama, but it is really much more. These two work on two outermost sheaths, the annmaya kosha or the gross body, and prANamaya kosha or our energetic sheath. The next four limbs of the yoga work with manomaya kosha or mental sheath and vijNAnamay kosha or the intellectual sheath. That still leaves out Anandamaya kosha or the causal body, which is what brings us here and keeps us here in this world in a confused state. The first two limbs, i.e. the self-discipline component of yoga deals with this most important sheath. This sheath is our karmic storehouse and it needs to be cleaned for a yogi to reach his goal.

Mr Interesting
23-12-2015, 10:49 PM
What part does it play? Hopefully not a big one as I don't have any, some people tend to think I'm quite disciplined which I'm quite happy to entertain as something lost in translation but the simple fact is I've always been really lazy and I think this idea that I might have self discipline is merely a play off between achieving only that which is completely necessary to achieve survival in a way that suits me and therefore allowing me lot's of time to do almost absolutely nothing.

I was kind of caught in an argument with my nephew recently and I think I blurted something out to the effect "Seeking to impress others is a complete waste of time and effort and seeking to impress yourself only very slightly less useless' but maybe I should have added 'Impressing others though can be useful as if it's done right you can get lot's of time where the need to even impress yourself can be cast aside.'

But then again I could actually do with a good dose of self discipline as I've become almost too well impressed by my ability to be lazy and the supposed challenge of just plain working reasonably consistently in the hot sun without regard for self would actually be a good thing for I could almost hopefully impose a kind of laziness above the body doing work, a kind of detached frivolity which would allow me both to get a level of fitness back which would see me going into my old age with a level of dignity I don't see around me and get things done around the place which would again feedback into other defining me as useful and again allow me even more lengthy periods of just laying back and enjoying the breezes and looking as if I'm even more mystifyingly wise.

Oops, I forgot. I do have this thing that every so often I do what I reckon is the hardest work imaginable (see the need to impress myself?) where I make things out of metal using mostly just my own body and a gas set, though I have succumbed in my middle age to the use of a noisy electric cut off wheel over the manual tooledness of bolt cutters, and I spend about 3 or 4 days getting into extremely tiring positions which I have to hold for minutes at a time and over and over and over again until what my silly mind has conceived has come into being and it often reminds me, this dulled and aching repetitiveness I force on myself, of zen and yoga and even aerobics thrown into one big ball of determination to just keep going, but by golly, I'm always entirely relieved when I've finished and kinda glad I'm still reasonably fit but there's always an edge of me that wonders if there might be an easier way.

Deepsoul
23-12-2015, 10:58 PM
For me its loving life and wanting to be a better person ,Jesus helps me alot and introduced me to my heart chakra, you cant just try and do good all the time it will drive you crazy but get to know and love yourself what is right for you ,but try not to be tricked by the illusion of selfishness but rather see how you can be and share the light youve been blessed with....

peteyzen
24-12-2015, 09:13 AM
interesting responses folks, thank you, please keep them coming

God-Like
24-12-2015, 07:38 PM
What you put in you get out as the saying goes ..

and it really depends on where one is at within themselves at the point of discipline .

Some have no self discipline at all when it comes to eating healthy foods, exercise or meditation for example .. whereas some find it quite natural and easy to do such things ...

If you are aware of a weakness in relation to what you are drawn to do, then strength and discipline is what you need .. otherwise one will dwell on a sense of self disappointment amongst other things ..


x daz x

naturesflow
24-12-2015, 08:17 PM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important they think self discipline is in spiritual growth, How people develop it and the benefits, of it

From my experience, it feels like a constant ongoing part of my own deepening awareness of self. So for every aspect I open within myself in my growth, often what transpires is the need to take care of that opening in a number of ways. Sometimes I find myself naturally evolving to that point, without too much effort other than being fully present with myself. This works well for me on the emotional/spiritual level. The physical is a whole other board game. I see my *human* conditioning in ways where I have to consciously *move* myself in the direction of my newly found growth within to integrate this balance. So this takes on the path of being more organised, a little more planning and balancing out my time in all areas of my life. It potentially reaches a flow, when I integrate it, but it would be my most difficult area of balance and self discipline. So I have to work at it.

Gem
25-12-2015, 03:46 AM
I see all these words as included in "discipline".. To me, living as one intends is a sweeter flavour of the same substance as "dicipline". Will living by intention take you where you really would like to go?
If I intend to get to the top of the hill that's where I want to go, and it takes the determination and persistence to keep going until I reach the top.

Any practice, piano practice, sport training, meditation practice and so on, doesn't regard whimsical attitudes of today I feel like it and tomorrow I don't feel like it. Its simply a commitment, so just do it.

Spiritual practice isn't about the wonderful things people talk about, energy chakra bliss etc etc and so on. Pursuing all of that is just being compelled by desires of craving, and when it's being experienced, clinging, and when it passes more craving.

The practice is more like, I know what my finger feels like when I hit the 'k' key. I don't crave that, while it happens I don't cling and try to make it last, and when it passes and is gone, I don't 're-crave' and try to make it happen again.

Lorelyen
25-12-2015, 10:29 AM
Of course self-discipline is important to spiritual development. Less important when you know you're secure in living a spiritual life.

...

Emm
29-12-2015, 04:24 AM
Discipline in spiritual practice for me defeats the object of intention. To me it requires effort and the focus comes from the mind, which then is in conflict with my inner self. Spirituality as I find it is more about an inner awareness and going with the flow, the mind follows after.

Deepsoul
29-12-2015, 04:34 AM
I can feel that raw rolling energy inside of me and my ego or self thinks this must be directed, Its a difficult one going with the flow or intention ,somehow I feel it must be combined to get the maximum benefit ,and I'm working with the holy Ghosts dear sweet strong energy as a co -creator, and requesting Gods Grace and Wisdom also..

CIRRUS
11-01-2016, 05:57 PM
Hi Peteyzen,
Hope you are well.
Self discipline is very important but it needs practice and dedication.
To develop it we need to stay focused on our mission in life and keep aspiring to want God as often as we can.
We also need to keep a close eye on the enemy (the ego) which will always try to derail us on our journey if we let it have control.
I think the benefits can be seen with how the individual becomes a much better human being leaving behind the 'old self' that always prevented it from progressing.

Esse Quam Vidari
Cirrus

Naked Guru
15-01-2016, 09:26 PM
Hi, I wanted to ask everyone, how important they think self discipline is in spiritual growth, How people develop it and the benefits, of it
No discipline no growth, it's as simple as that.

Mr Interesting
16-01-2016, 07:31 PM
Impose; there we go, I'll dive right in, is a very hard word to find an antonym for.

There are many, many words that are synonymous which isn't actually that surprising but an opposite, and therein it becomes problematic too because there isn't really an opposite to imposing so much as there might be a higher level of ideas about intent or a positioning of intent as a viable actioning device... as it were.

Of all the words allowance seems to be the closest.

And, wow, look at that, my search immediately turned impose into command. (http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/command)

So oops, I try impose as the command within the thesaurus. (http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/impose?s=t)

Good golly, no wonder we have trouble going beyond self discipline if there aren't really even feasible words for what might be an antonym for impose and all we are met with are almost despicable words not even bothering to offer anything other than potential weakness.

My almost earliest sense wasn't that I was different from others so much as it was a sense of potential which was worthy of uncovering. Eventually that led me to ideas of what genius might be and with that then imposing a sense on people and things wasn't where it was at but that there was a way where whatever was occurring was somehow wider and more resplendent than what ideas of convention might be available. And maybe yes there was some self discipline involved which might be around keeping to that sense of possibility where all around there were notions that such ideas were ill-founded it is somehow somewhat paradoxical to view the opposite of imposition, which isn't at all imposing, as requiring self-discipline.

But granted that until such times as we are able to find new words and have understood meanings for them then we must kind of accept the notion of self discipline as advantageous but only somehow that it is like the skin of an insect as in something to be let go as soon as it is too small for that which grows within it.