Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

You have just so eloquently described the argumentative derision of every single post made in every single thread on this forum since inception...bravo!

Here is some food for thought for both yourself and for others which may also illuminate my position on this forum as well.

For all intents and purposes, I am an "old-school" Hindu...being raised and enmeshed within the ideals of Sanatana Dharma which proliferated during the middle of the last century (and for many centuries before that).

Spirituality was all about "what is it that I must lose?" rather than "what is it that I hope to gain?" The whole emphasis was placed squarely upon penance, austerity, dedication, patience, surrender, focus....TAPASYA. This rigorous practice was implemented to sort out the true seekers of the Truth from the whining "mummy boys" who obviously didn't want Moksha BAD enough to relinquish all their bougoise comforts to attain it...they wanted the best of both worlds, yet could never find peace in either of them ..so, they ended up criticising and blaming a long standing practice and tradition which existed for thousands of years, because it did not cater or tailor to them and their egos personally and thus, the New Age was born, with such people opting for a totally diluted, watered down version of Hinduism, and the overall practice of Sadhana, if that meant they didn't have to make any adjustments to their current lifestyle or mindset ..merely "wanting" to be on a spiritual path, but not really having what it takes to actually BE on one...and we can see the whole fallout from all that over the past 50 years or so.

If anybody found it "insufferable", the teacher would simply tell them to go away and to return again when they were able to suffer it. It was all a lot simpler back then.

....but like I said, I am of the traditional lot, but I also cannot help but feel in my heart of hearts, this is why religion is on the decline.

It is not because of the waning belief in God, nor is it due to any past track record of "organised spirituality"....it is because of the commitment to convention, or rather the total lack of it. People don't like rules, regulations, being told what they need to do to achieve spiritual progress, being shown any scriptures...they want everything done their way or no way at all and this has led to the quagmire of confusion, irrationality, charlatans and questionable practices which now passes itself off as "modern spirituality" and it is also the whole reason why it is that I have had quite a difficult time intergrating into this whole scene, because all I find myself forever muttering is "such is Kali Yuga".