Spirituality (page 4)

sweetstuff

no spirituality is always there, it is upon us to seek it

The problem begins when we start seeking it externally instead of internally. IMO

"How can someone decide that another person is "freezing cold or dead spiritually"???? How could this be possible???? No one knows another persons thoughts."

We can't. But, the way i see it, everyone has as much spirituality as i do. That includes that a$$holes, users, massmurderers, addicts, dictators, etc. Through various fears, mind trips, ego trips, or what have you, they distract themselves from it. It is there, underneath all that other stuff. They simply need to remove overburden and then the will see. Simply seeing is all that is necesary. No conversion to a set of beliefs, no doing this or that. Certain traditional practices like fasting, meditation, seclusion, or a teacher who shows the way can help, however. It's simply knowing yourself, to quote the bard.

S

nvrgnbk

Simply seeing is all that is necesary. No conversion to a set of beliefs, no doing this or that.

the dreamer dreaming

sprituality seems to me, and I could be wrong... like people trying to define the undefinable and pretending to know what they cannot know... in other words making $#!+ up and then defending it.

Aleman

"Spirituality can comprise both inner growth, changing oneself as one changes one's relationship with the external universe, and the outer process of transforming the physical reality around oneself as a result of the inward change." -Plato (allegory of the cave)

In fact being spiritual may aim towards improving ones wisdom and willpower, achiveing a closer connection to God/Deity/Universe, and removing illusions or false 'ideas' at the sensory, or feeling and thinking aspects of a person.

Just like a psychologist can identify if a person is mentaly disoriented and try to orient them to a normal more productive life, Or when a friend or family member sees that the person is suffering from a problem or saddness, anyone can see the things written by any of you and identify just how cold or dead your spirituality trully is.

Humans have the ability to reflect God's personality traits, including the capacity for spiritual things, or spirituality. Just as God created our bodies with a superbly designed immune system, which fights disease and helps keep us healthy, he also equipped us with a conscience, or inner voice, which can help us make right decisions and avoid practices that are harmful physically and spiritually.

Jesus said: "Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah's mouth." ( Matthew 4:4 ) It is, therefore, up to us to put forth the effort to take in that spiritual nourishment. To the extent that we come to know the Bible and endeavor to apply its principles in our life, to that extent we will benefit spiritually and physically.— Isaiah 48:17, 18 .

-Aleman

diamondblue1974

Spirituality manifests itself in numerous ways within numerous people and as a result is entirely subjective.

I forget who said it but this springs to mind.

'We are not Human Beings trying to be spiritual, we are Spiritual beings endeavouring to be Human'.

I see myself as an intensely spiritual being in physical manifest and so therefore on one level caring about myself, the land, my family and friends is for all intents and purposes the same as caring about spirituality.

Its a question of perspective.

Gary

nvrgnbk

It is extremely important not to get bogged down in words. Sometimes people ask me, "Are you Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Hindu or Muslim? Are you Mahayana or Theravada? Do you follow Tibetan Buddhism or Chinese Buddhism? Are you Gelu, Kargyu, Sakya or Nyingma?" To this complexity of concepts, I reply, "I am a human being searching for a path to discover truth and happiness and to make my life beneficial for others." That's the beginning and end of it. - Venerable Thubten Chodron

http://www.thubtenchodron.org/DailyLifeDharma/chocolate_frosting_and_garbage.html

Satanus

Among some hindus, the spiritual is seen as a wagon wheel, w spokes out from the centre. The spokes being whatever a person is in at the time, they all will eventually lead to the centre, the centre being the source. All roads, christian, atheist, muslim, crack, republican, jw, scientist, etc, lead home.

S

Gopher

Sorry Aleman, I haven't been on the board since yesterday afternoon. Here's what you posed :

Gopher said:
--"As for the parts about the higher being, beliefs, and going outside yourself to connect with that higher being, you're risking going into the realm of fantasy. Some people will say these are crucial for spirituality, but I don't share that worldview."---
Aleman replied:
If this is so, then let me ask you this... Do you believe you are your own god, for say? Since there is no higher being, do you feel at ease that all you have to look foward in life is to live to the fullest today,because tomorow you will die? How do you explaine all these demonic and spiritual phenominon going on around the world?

No I don't believe I am my own god. I fully embrace my rights and responsibilities in life, and accept the consequences or rewards for any actions I take or decisions I make. I don't think that's haughty or arrogant. I just don't accept that I need an invisible guiding force, or that one even exists.

Yes I embrace living fully in this life, because that is all we're sure we have. If something else is extended to us after our death, we'll find out about it then and work from that reality. I will not base my life and decisions today on some fantasy about what may or may not come after death.

Regarding the demonic and spiritual phenomena -- I haven't witnessed any such things myself. Now others may believe they have. The human mind is very powerful, and can produce amazing effects. There are many "demons" in a human mind (if you don't mind my illustrative use of the phrase) without having to invent supernatural ones.

I'll give you an example of a "spiritual" phenomenon that some people think is positive: the "power of prayer". A scientific study was done at the Mayo Clinic (here in Minnesota) regarding this. They divided ill patients into three study groups: Group 1 -- Were being prayed for, but didn't know it. Group 2 -- Weren't being prayed for. And for good measure, they added group 3 -- people being prayed for, and they knew they were being prayed for.

So what was the medical outcome for each of these groups? Groups 1 and 2 had roughly the same medical outcomes. Prayer had no effect. Group 3 did worse. Why? Perhaps because when told they were being prayed for, they got afraid they had a very serious condition!

So my point about externally-induced spirituality and reported phenomena is that a lot of this is in the human mind, and is not able to be reproduced or scientifically studied. As an atheist, I am open to studies and evidence, but not to hearsay.

Aleman

Muslims and even the American Indians believe in a higher spirit being, but the buddists and hinduists, believe in a higher state of oneself called nirvana. Both are spiritual needs for each of the beliefs. These people know that this life is confusing and hard enough to walk it by themselves.

With death always around the corner and natural desasters that plauge the world, not to mention uncureable and painfull diseses, and hunger, and homeless people, do you really feel in control of your life to say you can "accept the consequences or rewards for any actions you take or decisions you make"?

Then to this I say to you my friend, good luck on your lonesome strugle of life. I hope you don't find yourself in a 'Columbine' situation, or in another 'twin towers' place where either you are in the plane or on the top floor of either buildings. I'm sure you will find what you are looking for in the end of the tunnel- Death.

-Aleman

Spirituality

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