Spirituality vs Buddhism

[LucidMoob]

This issue has been bothering me for a while so I thought I would throw it out into this enlightened community to gain more insight into this.

By modern spirituality I am referring to those who generally practice mediumship, psychic development, spirit guide chatter etc.

My best mate is a medium so I've learnt a lot about that side of things, and I volunteered in my local Buddhist centre for over a year and worked with some great Buddhist monks and learnt a little about Buddhism. Currently I dont have any particular agenda, I meditate, I try to be as selfless as possible, and I try to love everyone.

One day when talking to one of the monks it suddenly hit me how similar Buddhism and modern spirituality are, but both have a slighly difference view of why we are here, but who is right? this has been bugging me for over a year now.

Buddhism believes that we will have continual rebirths forever unless we break the cycle of samsara and overcome all attachment etc. and become enlightened and never have to come back here again. We are here because of our karma and we must try to better ourselves so that we don't have another rebirth. (excuse my limited and simple understanding of buddhism).

Modern Spiritualists believe that we choose to come here to learn a lesson or a few lesson, and that we will continue to keep getting reborn until we learn the lesson/s. Once we have learnt all of our lessons we can transcend to a higher plane a school of learning. But we choose to come here to learn the lessons in this physical world.

So modern spiritualists believe that we choose to be here and that its a good thing, so long as we're making use of this experience. While Buddhist believe that we are here as a result of our karma and that were should follow the teachings of Buddha to get the hell outa this place and get somewhere better i.e. not Earth.

Buddhist don't practice psychic abilities as they see them as an attachment and a distraction from what is necessary to transcend. Psychics believe that Psychic abilities enables them to connect to spirit guides/higher self and gain an insight into the reasons for being here.

Of the psychics that I've met, some can have big ego's and certainly have many attachments in this world, therefore will they continue to have rebirths because they are being sucked into the notion that having these psychic 'powers' is cool and essential to our reason for being here?. Are Buddhists seeing past these psychic 'powers' and going straight for the finish line or are they misguided as for our reasons for being here?

Of the people I have asked about this, the psychics say that the Buddhist were meant to be Buddhists in this lifetime and are learning their specific lessons. The Buddhists say that the spiritualists are on the right path but have been distracted by the promise of psychic abilities and an heightened ego and status. I don't know if I will ever get a specific answer to this but I would love to hear your opinion on this issue. My current personal belief is that somewhere in the middle of these two is the real reason for us being here, but thats the easy way out aint it hehe.

Thanks

I suggest you read Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa. He talks about psychic powers and the pitfalls they represent, from a Buddhist POV.

[running]

In my opinion right now anyways there's a couple things I don't understand. So I'm glad you brought this up.

Buddhism
Why do they feel life is so bad they will do anything to not have to come here again. Wouldn't that be kind of mad towards life.

Modern spirituality
why do we need to learn lessons? I understand this to a point. But what I have found for me is I grow very well without all the lessons. For example right now I'm just driving a truck for a living. Its not all easy but a walk in the park compare to being a small business owner. What I used to do. I feel like I'm growing great with a simple job and few lessons.

To me it could be a bit of a monkey see monkey do syndrome. I'm not saying its bad or doesn't work. But I think we can be a lot like cattle at times. I know I do it sometimes.

I think we are all beautiful and unique in our own ways. Sometimes I feel its good to look outside of the box and find our own thing.

For me I found a simple job helpful. Meditation and some simple exercises to help. And most importantly getting to know myself. What I mean is thru time spent by myself I have become content with more of myself. Having done that I feel at peace and happy. To me happiness is the thing I wanted. And I found when I have that inside how can I suffer much anymore. I have me. What more can I ask for.

Originally Posted by Animus27

I suggest you read Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa. He talks about psychic powers and the pitfalls they represent, from a Buddhist POV.

This in a sense applies to what the op indicated as going right for the finish line - that is to duck the egoism and attachments that they can bring - but I believe those attachments can be lessons and teachers to us as well.

What think ye? Spiritual Buddhism? I like this idea. Combining two beauties to blend into a new world is an intriguing idea I think.

[psychoslice]

How about forgetting about both and just be your Self, there is no need to label yourself.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

How about forgetting about both and just be your Self, there is no need to label yourself.

Yes, I can see this. It seems to fit Buddhism very well, but I would hope spiritualism as well. This is I think a relative world we live in here. While it may hurt to some and be fun to some, sometimes, I think we are all a part of the whole and I don't think that is anything less than each of us being whole as we already are.

Modern spirituality
why do we need to learn lessons?


Reincarnation is a choice ...
By reincarnating a person has chosen to learn human lessons ...
My husband was killed 6yo ago, it was a major transformation I didn't ask for (I thought at the time) I was forced to go through it ...
When he died, I felt like the life had literally been sucked out me, I, then collapsed ...
This is what happens in a cathected relationship ...
Four years of grief: grieving our spouse, grieving our losses, grieving for our children, shock, 2 months of forgetting to breathe, anvil on the chest, sudden uncontrollable screaming, unrelentless cyring, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, sleeplessness, staggering, consuming anger, complete body weakness, surrealism, throbbing headaches, lethargy, inability to form sentences, comprehend written material, mind fog, constant forgetfulness from one moment to the next, horrid fears, flashbacks, seeing one's entire life repeatedly (mistakes), lack of self esteem, losing friends & family who can't handle the grief, loneliness, abandonment, shame, despair, survivor's guilt, gut wrenching pain, loss of appetite, overeating, exhaustion, wanting/wishing to due to excruciating pain, etcetera ... there is lesson to be learned from each ... People learn meaningful human lessons from pain, not happiness ...
As a woman, it was like 24/7 child labor w/out an epidural including the exhaustion & weakness ... there are many more challenges I won't list ...
I was told "this is the price we pay for loving" ...
When someone experiences grief from a cathected relationship, their major challenge is to chose life everyday till the natural grief process ends ...
There is no cure for grief except to do it as God intended ...
Having money ore re-marrying doesn't fix it either ... it's about the death of human being & the partial death of the survivor ...
When a tragedy strikes, you'll think differently b/c you will be tested in ways you never imagined ...
And be able to chose what faith will comfort you, understand what has happened to your loved one & help pull you out of the abyss ...
So for now, you've got a purdy darn good life! ...
Be happy about it! *smile*

I think the only way to prevent grief is to stop the causes that mentally create it. This is Buddhism as I understand it.

NOTHING, zero, nada, zilch cures grief except to go through the natural process ...
Faith brings one to a better understanding & helps to soothe it ...
Grief is a natural; we hard wired with it ...
Besides, who would want to miss out on the greatest learning experience life & death have to offer, it's a major transition, an enlightenment, a chance to grow, to not fear death, to shed all fears, to see life in a whole new way ...
Many people run from it, deny it, freeze up, etc ...
Pain promotes growth; we did not come into this world w/out it ...
This is how we are tested & this is how true meaning of faiths & beliefs resonate in ways you can never imagine ...
Those have truly experienced grief by going through the entire process find peace, happiness, gratitude, contentment or at least I have ...
I never thought it could be this way ...
My husband is safe & is surrounded by love ...
And through his death, I began a new one ...
Remember the word *cathexis*, as one ...

Never ask how to deal with grief. Grief is there to teach you how ... by Takuin in The Grief oa Buddhist ...



Sorry, if it seemed like I was shouting ...

[psychoslice]

Originally Posted by Mayflow

Yes, I can see this. It seems to fit Buddhism very well, but I would hope spiritualism as well. This is I think a relative world we live in here. While it may hurt to some and be fun to some, sometimes, I think we are all a part of the whole and I don't think that is anything less than each of us being whole as we already are.

Yes most certainly we are whole, but there is still the mind that makes it not so, and because of this there is much suffering.