Here's another song that is profoundly, spiritual and moving. I can't understand what he's singing about: it's not English. This is amazing group is led by the son of actress Hayley Mills.
Govinda
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Kula Shaker
Religion vs. Spirituality
by Oubliette 54 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Satanus
I believe that the yr 1969 was the peak of the rise of spirituality in the west in modern times. It was a grass roots movement fueled largely by psychedelics. Yes, psychedelic drugs can lead to spirituality. They have been used like that for millenia.
Creativity in all fields followed the spiritual release. Even the wt corp peaked in its output of litertrash. While the spiritual wave carried on into the 70's, it has subsided, ever since then.
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FlyingHighNow
It seems to have been on the fritz, Satanus, and replaced in the public forefront by loud fundamentalism, which is more about legalism than it is about the spiritual.
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braincleaned
FlyingHighNow — that song has been on my record player since 1978 — and I since bougt it in CD and digitaly.
Truth is, I had a HUGE crush on Melanie!!!
And yes, being high does help being spiritual... -
FlyingHighNow
Melanie was and still is very crush worthy, Braincleaned. That song should go up near the top of the of the 100 most moving songs.
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Satanus
Great song, kula shaker - govinda. The ragas are also good. I find them relaxing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZSJcYT0uAA
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Band on the Run
People here often describe spirituality and religion as though they are opposites. This is not true. I do believe atheists and agnostics may have a streak of spirituality. The reverence for the unknown. Indeed, the scientific process alone shows a reverence for ratinal thought and wonder at solving the puzzles of the universe.
Spirituality often refers to mysticism, a subject which captivated me. The great religious orders of many religions often felt corruption by the establishment. Early Egyptian Christians went off into desert communities. Part of it was a fear that urban centers corrupted religious belief. Physical distance gave them the ability to pursue their ideals of worship. Mysticism usually focuses on the interior process. The Nag Hammadi community of Gnostics where the treasure trove of Gnostic gospels were preserved was only one of many.
Recently, I read an account of the Egyptian fathers. One of the most beautiful books I ever read is a collection of pithy, Zenlike statements attributed to the early desert fathers. Thomas Merton, a worldly literary figure who became a hermit in the United States, edited the collection and called it The Wisdom of the Desert. Each vignette is less than a page but powerful truths remain. Urban Egyptian church officials, led by Athanius, suppressed the monks.
The same process occurs during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. I don't know why spirituality, a component of many religions, became so good and relligion so bad. These monks and nuns saw themselves as within their religion. Some orders would become dry and lost their spirit. Judaism has mystics.
Religion is not only the dogma of the WT. It can be loose principles. Frankly, I wish someone would find a good definition and connotation. We misuse these terms all the time. I've visited convents for programming. Sometimes they feel so dead I can't wait to escape. Others are so warm and welcoming. There isn't a magic formula. Many European wars and culture clashes involved religious orders. Not every religion is as high control as the Witnesses. They are extremely high control. It would be sad to believe that all religion is like the Witnesses. They are the aberration. While calling them a cult may not be correct in academic terms, if it walks like a duck..... We all know the feeling of not being able to breathe. I can assure you there are plenty of welcoming places.
I've discussed this a bit with Episcopal priests. They refuse to set the lead. One remaked I am not a parent or elementary school teachers. My purpose is to help the laity realize their goals. I will not set their goals. It is a two way street.
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jgnat
I see religion as a community of believers who agree on some principles of their faith. I focus on the community aspect, and I have been involved in friendly, welcoming communities. So I don't think religion is an evil word.
I follow Charter for Compassion on Facebook for regular inspirational quotes, which they take from the wisdom of all humanity. But often I find Optimism Revolution even better.
Charter for Compassion reports that this video has gone viral:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0RLmYg58P4&feature=player_embedded#t=0
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Etude
I have settled on the word “spirituality” as a real event. Before, I didn’t care what you called it, it being that sensation of connectedness with the universe and the awe experienced when watching a marvelous event or thinking deeply about something.
What convinced me was the work of Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, a behavioral neurologist who made several important discoveries while at U.C. San Diego. But that was just the start. Since that encounter, I have seen several experiments conducted which demonstrate specific areas of the brain are stimulated when someone is in a state of meditation or deep prayer or in a state of profound contemplation. They do this in several ways: one way is by placing electrodes and “mapping” the chatter of specific areas of the brain, for which there is also a control map. Another way is to do this while at the same time under an MRI detector. The results are pretty consistent.
The experience has a soothing and calming result that seems to bring inner peace. At first, they had discovered a predominant area in the right temporal side of the brain (just above and behind the ear), which was quickly labeled as the “G” spot. Now, they are noting that there are other concurrent areas of the brain which also help coordinate that experience. The experience can be reproducible via electrode stimulation of the brain. So, it’s not an aberration or pseudo science. It’s a real effect. What does it mean? Who knows? But something in our makeup is directly responsible for what we call “spirituality”. The difference is that Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in the sky does not have to be involved.
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Satanus
A read about american revivalism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_revival shows that at religions root is generally fear and guilt. Roots of spirituality are often introspection.
Etude
That is interesting. You said along the lines of god need not be involved. I agree. I also believe that we all are little chips off the old block, so to speak; holograms, fractals, or something like that. Its the difference between spiritual and religious: religious - entities are separate from god and desperately NEED god, supposedly. Spiritual - we all got it, we are all god, so to speak. Giggle my brain and god pops out;)
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