What makes you spiritual?

Well I must admit I like cable TV. HBO - guilty. Showtime - guilty again. In my defense I think it is possible to be entertained by something without being brainwashed if you're of right mind. There is a cable show called Enlightened about a woman who is rather spiritually misguided - a theme that sometimes comes up in SF. I think watching TV can actually be a spiritual experience because the shows are afterall written by real people and the actors are real. Even if they are phony.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by slaga

Well I must admit I like cable TV. HBO - guilty. Showtime - guilty again. In my defense I think it is possible to be entertained by something without being brainwashed if you're of right mind. There is a cable show called Enlightened about a woman who is rather spiritually misguided - a theme that sometimes comes up in SF. I think watching TV can actually be a spiritual experience because the shows are afterall written by real people and the actors are real. Even if they are phony.

I don't see getting rid of TV as an indication of spirituality whatsoever. I just stopped liking it because it wasn't entertaining me. Give me a good movie anytime though. Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is my favorite.

Hey ... this could lead into another discussion about movies/media and spirituality. I wish there was a "spirituality channel" - here in the snowy north, Canada/Kanata (Huron for "the village", I'm told is where our country's name came from; one of the Indigenous groups in this part of the world.)

If anyone starts a thread on spiritual movies, I'll definitely check it out!

Originally Posted by Raven Poet

Hey ... this could lead into another discussion about movies/media and spirituality. I wish there was a "spirituality channel" - here in the snowy north, Canada/Kanata (Huron for "the village", I'm told is where our country's name came from; one of the Indigenous groups in this part of the world.)

If anyone starts a thread on spiritual movies, I'll definitely check it out!

There is one!!

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...ad.php?t=37963

I kinda have theories on my own, I don't know if people experience the same thing or if it is uncommon, but first and foremost, the most important thing for me in living a spiritual life is to always become my True Self by dis-identifying from the negative ego and to always stay conscious in the Here and Now.

I also strongly believe that people on their spiritual journey should never try to achieve some particular state of mind, all the inner peace, love and wonders all the Enlightened ones mention in their books. This results in denying the Here and Now which results in suffering. I seriously encourage people to listen and trust their inner voices even though the ideas and theories may contradict with the lessons of the Ascended Masters. Buddha even said, “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”

In short, I believe the whole idea of spirituality is to surrender. No desire, no expectations, just faith and trust that you are already enlightened without you realising it mostly because of the strong identification with the negative ego. Once you conquer all your fear, hatred, anger, jealousy and negative emotions, you are left with your True Self. I believe that it is wrong to fake inner peace and happiness because they will come on their own. The key is to surrender, let go of all the negativity, and be open to new perspectives, possibilities and experiences. Trust and faith.

Sorry if I might offend with my opinions, I am always open for other ideas and different perspectives so I'd be very happy if anyone would like to comment on my post. Thanks.

Cheers everyone.

Originally Posted by SpiritSeeker

I kinda have theories on my own, I don't know if people experience the same thing or if it is uncommon, but first and foremost, the most important thing for me in living a spiritual life is to always become my True Self by dis-identifying from the negative ego and to always stay conscious in the Here and Now.

I also strongly believe that people on their spiritual journey should never try to achieve some particular state of mind, all the inner peace, love and wonders all the Enlightened ones mention in their books. This results in denying the Here and Now which results in suffering. I seriously encourage people to listen and trust their inner voices even though the ideas and theories may contradict with the lessons of the Ascended Masters. Buddha even said, “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”

In short, I believe the whole idea of spirituality is to surrender. No desire, no expectations, just faith and trust that you are already enlightened without you realising it mostly because of the strong identification with the negative ego. Once you conquer all your fear, hatred, anger, jealousy and negative emotions, you are left with your True Self. I believe that it is wrong to fake inner peace and happiness because they will come on their own. The key is to surrender, let go of all the negativity, and be open to new perspectives, possibilities and experiences. Trust and faith.

Sorry if I might offend with my opinions, I am always open for other ideas and different perspectives so I'd be very happy if anyone would like to comment on my post. Thanks.

Cheers everyone.

Bingo----great post.........

Originally Posted by Juanita

Bingo----great post.........

Thank you Juanita!

After many years of struggling, trying to figure out how to achieve things that were not quite me, I stopped. It was exhausting and I wasn't just listening to my own deep desires and needs. Finally I learned it is up to me to take what sings to my soul for my journey and leave the rest for others to sample. My journey is unique to me, without frustration or fear that I am not doing it right, or getting to any particular level. So to define my spirituality.....I would have to just say it is the love I hold in my heart for God and all life, to know I am enough. My journey, my joy.

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by SpiritSeeker

I kinda have theories on my own, I don't know if people experience the same thing or if it is uncommon, but first and foremost, the most important thing for me in living a spiritual life is to always become my True Self by dis-identifying from the negative ego and to always stay conscious in the Here and Now.

I also strongly believe that people on their spiritual journey should never try to achieve some particular state of mind, all the inner peace, love and wonders all the Enlightened ones mention in their books. This results in denying the Here and Now which results in suffering. I seriously encourage people to listen and trust their inner voices even though the ideas and theories may contradict with the lessons of the Ascended Masters. Buddha even said, “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”

In short, I believe the whole idea of spirituality is to surrender. No desire, no expectations, just faith and trust that you are already enlightened without you realising it mostly because of the strong identification with the negative ego. Once you conquer all your fear, hatred, anger, jealousy and negative emotions, you are left with your True Self. I believe that it is wrong to fake inner peace and happiness because they will come on their own. The key is to surrender, let go of all the negativity, and be open to new perspectives, possibilities and experiences. Trust and faith.

Sorry if I might offend with my opinions, I am always open for other ideas and different perspectives so I'd be very happy if anyone would like to comment on my post. Thanks.

Cheers everyone.

SpiritSeeker - Welcome to the forum. I think every unique human being on the planet has his or her own individual way of defining what a “spiritual life” is, although there may be a common thread in us all that drives our inner-workings to seek meaning in life.

You make an interesting point about the negative ego. I’m not sure if the negative ego means the same to both of us. For me it is the accumulated effects of things in life that I have to work hard to deny or they force me to be sensitive to criticism and to question my sense of self. I do wonder if the true self needs to eliminate identifying with it. I can only speak from my own experience – if it weren’t for the negative ego and the insecurities they create, I would be free of chains of being ego-driven at my weakest moments. Those chains become a mechanism of protection.


“I also strongly believe that people on their spiritual journey should never try to achieve some particular state of mind, all the inner peace, love and wonders all the Enlightened ones mention in their books. This results in denying the Here and Now which results in suffering. I seriously encourage people to listen and trust their inner voices even though the ideas and theories may contradict with the lessons of the Ascended Masters.”

In response to the above statement, I wasted a lot of years studying, reading and following that which lied outside of myself. I can’t say that the learning process was all for nothing, but it’s taken coming full circle to eventually listen and trust what was always there to begin with.

Lastly, for me all the negative emotions are what allows me to recognize the more positive emotions and to appreciate them. I do understand what you’re saying about if we didn’t identify with the more unpleasant emotions so strongly, again, chains would come off. I don’t want a pain free life because all of life has it’s lessons and learning those lessons, I feel is why we’re here.

Thanks for your response, SpiritSeeker and I apologize for not replying to you sooner.

Blackraven

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by goldendragon

After many years of struggling, trying to figure out how to achieve things that were not quite me, I stopped. It was exhausting and I wasn't just listening to my own deep desires and needs. Finally I learned it is up to me to take what sings to my soul for my journey and leave the rest for others to sample. My journey is unique to me, without frustration or fear that I am not doing it right, or getting to any particular level. So to define my spirituality.....I would have to just say it is the love I hold in my heart for God and all life, to know I am enough. My journey, my joy.

goldendragon - What a wonderful revelation and realization! I underwent a process similar to yours and have arrived back to where I was in the beginning, but didn't see it in the beginning - my own inner knowing and trusting my intuition. Thank you for your post.

Blackraven