The obligation to believe

[Nikos1982]

I 'starting this thread just as I find myself nowhere with my thoughts... or because... :)

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So, there is this ancient saying that 'the warrior' (each one can be one as we are all fighting one way
or another with something) can't just believe and leave it that way. (It is said that the warrior 'has to believe'.

What do you think about it? :)

[iamthat]

I am not sure where you are going with this but it seems to me that the nature of the warrior is to take action.

Right thinking has value, but right action puts that thinking into practice.

We are all spiritual warriors, but if lofty thoughts are not matched by appropriate deeds then we are just an armchair warrior.

Peace

[Native spirit]

or you can get those people who like to cause trouble but do it from behind a screen they are called key board warriors.
I hate injustice and will fight against it. people have told me my inner Warrior comes out when i argue it out with people,


Namaste

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Nikos1982

(It is said that the warrior 'has to believe'.
What do you think about it? :)

Not sure the direction you'd like this to go...but personally, I did not think 'Belief' played a part
in my early years of being an active Spiritual Warrior inside myself...I just knew WHAT thoughts I did not want in my head...
and 24/7 I was like a sniper at his post watching, being ever alert and shooting those unwanted, unholy, useless thoughts fast!

[Unseeking Seeker]

Is not belief a function of mind, of conditioning, a crutch, a hope, something to hold on to, thus stemming from fear?

Take religious belief. Depending on the culture we are born into, we adopt that scripture, follow those rituals, worship its symbols. In earlier days I visited churches, mosques, temples, many a Sikh gurudwara and so on. What was it for but to appease an unseen and imaginary god for an imaginary sin or to beg for a better future for ourselves or our loved ones? One day, I just quit. I said to myself, ‘if I don’t feel it in my bones, it is not real’.

Living in India, we are spoilt for choice in spirituality. So many paths, gurus, satsangs, esoteric yogic practices, superstitions and self proclaimed experts. In whom should we believe, who should we reject?

We see the illustrious lineage of saints, masters, adepts ~ none followed their predecessors. Each investigated the truth within directly and depending upon their carry forward samskaras* (* tendencies) the universe enlightened them in a manner suitable to them. Then cults were formed around these saints and a plethora of religions came into existence, a set of dos and don’ts which basically became a control mechanism, a business ~ I’m told if all the cash reserves of temples in India are collected, we can become a debt free nation!

Belief is in mind, in thoughts. Thoughts are dualistic. The ultimate truth pointed out to in all scriptures is a singularity, nondual. So, it is clear, we need to drop mind to know the truth. In silence, where both we (subject) and thought (objects) disappear, leaving awareness untouched, uncontaminated, unrestricted, uninhibited. We can also call this meditation.

[Nikos1982]

Hi..

1. I don't want to make this thread personal at all

2. Unseeking, yes it's by the distinctive quality in us that we choose.

~~~~~~~ Gracias ~~~~~~~~~~

[FallingLeaves]

i think the problem for me is, I've so often found my beliefs wrong, that it is hard to just accept anything at face value.

I'm kinda tired of just randomly believing in stuff, only to find myself frustrated.

[Busby]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

Is not belief a function of mind, of conditioning, a crutch, a hope, something to hold on to, thus stemming from fear

Belief is in mind, in thoughts. Thoughts are dualistic. The ultimate truth pointed out to in all scriptures is a singularity, nondual. So, it is clear, we need to drop mind to know the truth. In silence, where both we (subject) and thought (objects) disappear, leaving awareness untouched, uncontaminated, unrestricted, uninhibited. We can also call this meditation.

Not a bad summary at all Unseeking Seeker.

Personally I have no beliefs. Never have done. There is nothing in which I believe or could even contemplate believing in. In spite of all arguments there is not one flicker of evidence to show the existence of anything stemming from supernatural forces. I see no soul, no chakras, no spiritual world, no heaven, hell or paradise, no karma, no life after death.
There have of course been those moments when I said to myself 'Oh, there could be something here', but a little investigation and thought quickly dispersed any doubt.
Oddly enough I still call myself 'spiritual' - for want really of another word
That's why I've been a contributor to SFs for so long.

And, oddly enough, I do think that 'I' will appear on this planet again at some time.

Why?

I have had a number of experiences which cannot be explained and I'm still looking for the reason they happened to me. They include the experience of 'cosmic consciousness': talking face to face with my dead father immediately after his death (he was 1000 kilometres away): seeing my dead wife a few weeks after her passing: experiencing a moment when the whole universe opened to my consciousness: watching and listening to an orchestra playing absolutely unbelievably beautiful music and one very powerful 'paranormal' moment. There are others and these follow the same trends.

These moments, attended by intensive insights have led to where I am today.
I am of the opinion that all belief systems are all made up - none of them holding any water when investigated even slightly.

There is not one person on this planet who actually knows anything, nor has there ever been such a person. Life is still a complete mystery. But one day, maybe when we finally make contact with other solar systems we'll get a first clue to what it is all about.

[Redchic12]

Busby, if you are looking for some proof, try checking out Robert Schwartz testing of Allison Dubois and another psychic but I can’t remember her name. That is pretty convincing stuff to me.

As for all the other religions and beliefs I’m not a hundred percent sure of it myself but I try to keep an open mind.

All those wonderful experiences you have had and you still don’t believe in the spiritual life. Jeez what do ya need mate………a four b two across the head! Lol

[Busby]

Originally Posted by Redchic12

All those wonderful experiences you have had and you still don’t believe in the spiritual life. Jeez what do ya need mate………a four b two across the head! Lol

It's quite extraordinary Redchic12 just how many people have had the sort of experiences which I have described. Naturally I have, over the years searched for those who have had similar moments or even minutes and hours and have also found many. Most of them I have found in Associations, Societies, Spiritual and other relative groups as well as through books, lectures and so on.

Many of those reported experiences have been much more intense than my own and all bear the watermark of some unknown or as yet unacknowledged force or field.

There are a number of explanations that have been put forth but none of them seems to really cover all aspects.

There is the thought that if science would devote some time to those issues we call paranormal a crack in the door might appear. There are a lot of strange things to be accounted for in this weird thing called life.

Bernardo Kastrup seems to be leading this field at the moment. In You Tube.