people leaving the spiritual journey?

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by hallow

I don't think the spiritual journey ever ever ends. I believe we're all on one weather we admit it or not.

I agree. Being in physical incarnation suggests that we are on a spiritual journey, even if we are not consciously pursuing spiritual realisation or higher knowledge.

On this journey people may take all sorts of routes, investigating all sorts of detours and occasionally going down some dead ends. We don't ever leave the spiritual journey. It is all learning. And for some people the journey just takes a bit longer.

Some may say that Doreen Virtue has left the spiritual path and taken a step backwards by reverting to Christianity. Perhaps this is just a continuation of her path - maybe she has lessons to learn which require her to go in this direction. Her path is her business, and no doubt at some stage she will change direction yet again.

And even if we stop doing all practices and all spiritual reading, the journey continues. We cannot help but learn, whatever we do or don't do.

Peace

[RedEmbers]

Personally, I find that because of the uniqueness of everybody's journey in general, there really is not enough substance available for people.

There is no one size fits all journey and given how quickly society is changing and how we seem to be living in an age where their is more personal freedom, it means that spiritual paths diverge from some to many and diverse.


Their is also an authenticity movement happening which requires individuals to tap into the wisdom of their own selves and follow that guidance which traditional spiritual paths may not have the scaffolding and provisions for.

Just some of my opinions.

[hallow]

Originally Posted by iamthat

On this journey people may take all sorts of routes, investigating all sorts of detours and occasionally going down some dead ends. We don't ever leave the spiritual journey. It is all learning. And for some people the journey just takes a bit longer.

And even if we stop doing all practices and all spiritual reading, the journey continues. We cannot help but learn, whatever we do or don't do.

Peace

Very well said. I been asked in the past, what kind of spiritual journey am I on, what are my spiritual goals or who's word am I following. I can't think of any particular one. I don't feel you need to. If you look at in that way, your following someone else's path and not your own. But that's my path. You can't disregard anyones path even if it's a Christian one. From my experience Christianity is very structured. Maybe that structure is what that person needs. Structure is extremely important to most people weather that structure comes from a church or a street gang. There's a world of diverse people out there with equally diverse paths.

[Native spirit]

I have always said I walk my own path. it may not suit you but you have to find an Alternative one that suits you.


Namaste

[Advaita888]

The mind wants to be the boss and keep you busy. For the mind it doesn't matter if you are spending your time with watching news or studying any literature or subject.

To be on a spiritual path is the same thing. The mind is busy and searches and searches... next seminar, retreat, book etc. And nothing of all these things last for a long time.

If you stop the search you are almost there. Stop to believe in your thoughts. Thats the begin to be free. You don't need to do anything else than calm your mind down. Then peace can spread out.

Maybe it sounds not very fulfilling when you hear this for the first time. It seems everything you have done was nonsense. But it is not. It was the way to be able to grasp this information and innerstand it more and more.

[weareunity]

hello RedEmbers.

Your opinions offered in your post 22 are really helpful and insightful--imo! They do not seek to prescribe nor describe individual unique ways in which we each understand/and/or practice spirituality.
They suggest a commonality of the actual practicing of forms of spiritual expression--flying solo or along with others of like perception--rather than being overly focused upon the relevance of such forms.
We might wonder and ponder upon that commonality and perhaps conclude that the establishment of such sense of commonality is in some way the very essence of spirituality. An essence which we can sense but struggle to understand. Perhaps we need to understand that we do not need to understand, but simply share the sense?

all the best. x

[lemex]

Beautiful inclusion wearunity.

[the_journey]

i'm trying to have more compassion on this, it feels like everyone is where they are at for any lessons and experiences.
i was thinking the idea of leaving the new age spiritual scene as they call it, it's like a safe comfort zone and i think that's ok as they will meet some nice people in the christian community but deep down they are wounded and in recovery as they were looking outside of themselves whilst in the spiritual community. i keep thinking they will be disappointed again eventually waiting for nothing lol it feels as if they fell for a 'save you programme' i mean i've seen lot's of people come away from religion and how they had to get out of the deep programming through their upbringing and to become more spiritual, it's strange seeing it from both sides lol

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Advaita888

To be on a spiritual path is the same thing. The mind is busy and searches and searches... next seminar, retreat, book etc. And nothing of all these things last for a long time.

If you stop the search you are almost there. Stop to believe in your thoughts. Thats the begin to be free. You don't need to do anything else than calm your mind down. Then peace can spread out.

Maybe the paradox is that we have to search and search to reach the point where we are ready to surrender all searching.

Peace

Originally Posted by the_journey

i'm trying to have more compassion on this, it feels like everyone is where they are at for any lessons and experiences.
i was thinking the idea of leaving the new age spiritual scene as they call it, it's like a safe comfort zone lol

The_journey,

I was struck by the words ‘comfort zone’. It is natural to do that. I did it in regard to churches when I moved out of state. I have come to realize that you can’t go home again. And I think it is for the better. Are we so weak that we must surround ourselves with those that parrot us ? Sometimes in this new church I hear things that seem off the mark. I accept them as the gifts that they are. They are the gifts that stimulate me to deeper thought. To form a coherent response in my mind that would point to the symbolic and esoteric that is so close to them yet, seemingly, so far out of reach. What does this do ? The impulse is to pray in earnest that they might be drawn to the light. It challenges me to be forgiving and by the very difference that I witness to consciously be reminded to get a hold on my ego.

I realize that in my former church that was so comfortable….that to some extent I had let it become a tribe that served to separate me from the greater world. If we allow ourselves to be trapped we surrender freedom. It seems to me that this approach would be applicable to any spiritual approach…..not talking just about a church……