Quote:
Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker
***
As Bertrand Russel’s book cover states ‘the conquest of happiness’
An unarguably reasonable goal, to uplift to bliss our consciousness
|
I agree that the only purpose of spiritual development is the aspiration of happiness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker
What is Spiritual Development?
It is the prioritisation of our attention shift inwards, not for attainment
Not for any power or enablement
Rather only for Divine Love without abatement
|
I’ve heard that many times, but it sounds dogmatic. So I disagree in two points:
First, I do not see any reason why the source of happiness should be exclusively internal. Happiness can arise from both our external sensations as well as out internal experience.
Secondly, love is not the one and only source of happiness. It is possible to experience bliss and happiness beyond love.
It could be that Devine Love is the most intense form of happiness but definitely not the only form.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zorkchop
The entire design of the “Path” is to lead Soul Itself to recognize, realize, and begin to live beyond the compelling facets of living within the psychic worlds of duality.
It is a take-off of the old saying . . . “to finally determine what one is, you must first discover what one is NOT.”
|
You mean the purpose of spiritual development is to experience the absence of one’s true identity (as a soul) in order to experience your soul-identity more intense and clearer afterwards?
Quote:
Originally Posted by inavalan
Usually different names means that those are different things.
|
Are you referring to the terms spiritual development vs. character development?
Two different names could also mean that two things are the same, namely if one thing is a sub category of the other: character development could be a form of spiritual development.
Quote:
Originally Posted by inavalan
Spiritual development should be your spirit / soul's development. The goal is that when you die your soul should be more developed / evolved than when you were born.
|
Yes, but your definitions or explanations are empty. They do not contain any information:
“Spiritual development should be your spirit / soul's development”
is as if you would say: "Spiritual development is development of your spirit."
“The goal is that when you die your soul should be more developed”
is as if you would say: "The goal of development is development."
The question is: WHAT is spiritual development? What changes in the soul? In which way is the soul different after compared to before a life?
---------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
I consider spiritual development as the evolution of consciousness, which is quite different to other kinds of learning.
|
I consider spiritual development as the evolution of consciousness too.
But spiritual development/evolution of consciousness is not quite different to other kinds of learning but rather includes ALL kinds of learning.
With everything you lean you expand your consciousness!
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
We can consider a human being as a triplicity of Being (Spirit), Consciousness (Soul) and personality.
|
What is the difference between Being and Consciousness?
Do you think that Being is without Consciousness?
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
We can consider a human being as a triplicity of Being (Spirit), Consciousness (Soul) and personality.
|
It doesn’t make sense to use the term “Soul” synonymous to consciousness in order to distinguish it from spirit or personality. A soul is the thing that gives rise to spirit, consciousness and personality.
Also we have a twoness not a trinity. One the one side we have Personality which is the temporal form a soul can chose (a set of attributes) within one incarnation. One the other side we have Identity which is the eternal structure of a soul.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
So we have to attain a certain level of character development before we even begin the subsequent steps of spiritual development.
|
Isn't character development a part of spiritual development. I don't see these two as separated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
The goal of spiritual development is to know ourselves, or to know our Self. Why? Because it brings lasting peace and true freedom. Isn't this what we are all trying to find?
|
Why brings knowing ourselves true freedom?
What do you understand by true freedom in this context?
Do you think that peace and true freedom are the only things our souls aspire?