Spiritual Quests, Self Discovery, and Other Early Morning Ramblings

[€uroMeinke]

I love old school psychotherapy - Freud, Jung, the couch, dream interpretation - but it seems this has all been abandoned in favor of those behavior modificationist like B.F. Skinner. It seems with workplace funded mental health, everythings been reduced to the quick fixes of treating depression, family counciling, and the dispensing of drugs.

But that's really not what I want to talk about, you see I tend to be an existentialist, meaning I'm all about free will, taking responsibility for choices made or avoided. I loved I heart Huckabees and wish I too could be an existential detective. All this makes me wonder about where people go to fullfill their "spiritual" needs of self discovery?

I see each life as a work of art that we craft everyday with the decissions we make. I think these decissions have issues of aesthetics as much as they do ethics - but that's my world view.

Religion is typically the resource for spiritual needs, but the institution seems so conformist, presenting answers instead of posing interesting questions. I wonder if this is why so many spiritual alternatives seem to have become popular, such as wicca. But even these seem more heavy on providing answers and less and exploring interesting questions about developing one's self and soul. But maybe I'm wrong about this.

But getting back to my first paragraph, it seems the psychologists of the early 20th Century were on to something as being sort of spiritual guides, mentors, gurus, whatever - that where there for people's personal quests of enlightment, or living the good life. So where does one find a guru these days?

[Not Afraid]

I want to know WHY THE HELL you are thinking about this at 5:30 am since we've been awake since 3:00 am and I- yes ME - I'm singing TV jingles from the 1970's???????????????




FREAK!

[€uroMeinke]

this is why we need a guru

[Not Afraid]

I thought YOU were the guru?

[Gemini Cricket]

I think about this a lot. I love reading and rereading The Tao of Pooh. I don't read it because of the Disney link, although that was the reason initially, it is just a great reminder of how I wish I could be. Or strive to be. But I'm a little too Eeyore mixed with Rabbit to be a Pooh.

I like to ground myself by watching some comedians. Jon Stewart reminds me to laugh at the seemingly important things out there, Bill Maher reminds me that often the world is run by people who must be laughed at, George Carlin reminds me that it's okay to get angry and still make people laugh, Margaret Cho reminds me that nothing is out of bounds and there's humor in everything, Lewis Black reminds me that getting so angry that you look like you're going to explode can be funny, David Sedaris reminds me that life (even a unfabulous one) can be wonderful, Ellen Degeneres reminds me that you can be yourself and find peace and make money...

The list is endless.

I can't say that I'm truly anything in the religious category, but I'm leaning towards Buddhism and sometimes Taoism. I have several Ho Tai Buddha statues here and there at our apartment and at work. Just a jolly fat man with the largest sh it-eating grin on his face. That reminds me that one can live a happy life.

Dave takes me to the depths of my anger and depression and back up to a happy place time and time again. What a smart, creative, beautiful man who is unafraid to speak his mind in a world wrought by fear.

Ultimately, my guru is me. If not, I'm truly lost or I'd be someone who would fall for anything.

I do feel everyone has that tiny voice inside that speaks to you, like Pinnochio did. (We're not talking hearing voices here, folks.) But when you quiet the noise, you can hear someone say to you when you're down that you're going to be okay. To me, he sometimes sounds like Kevin Spacey. Sometimes Ian McKellan. Often times David Sedaris. Maybe a little Amy Sedaris when I really need to pick myself up.

I do think about interesting things myself this morning.

Like just this morning I came up with an idea to fix our world. I'll write that one down and come back to it when I can get myself to think that it's actually worth fixing.

:)

[Tref]

"We are all part of the One Spirit. When you experience the true meaning of religion, which is to know God, you will realize that He is your Self, and that He exists equally and impartially in all beings."
–Paramahansa Yogananda

"Chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free. The Lord is awaiting for you all to awaken and see."
- George Harrison "Awaiting on You All"

Chanting is the best way I can relax and keep my head straight.

I like going to the Self Realisation Fellowship on Thursday nights. The sermons are interesting and the environment is calming. They have meditation classes, too.

The Krishna Temple in Venice is a lot of fun. The food at their restaurant is great (and blessed) and on Sundays the devotees dance and dance until they can no longer dance and then everybody eats. Its a great experience.

Hare Krishna!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I don't have a Guru. I think my way of tooling around to figure things out is making mini-gurus of the people I admire in my life. Take what learning you can from the smart/interesting people of this world...I think that's a good philosophy. :)

[Not Afraid]

When good gurus go bad. Film at 11.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Yeah, that conformist thing? That's why I'm a pagan.

I don't really spend a lot of time "thinking outside the box" but I think I do live outside the box; I really don't seem to have a lot of the assumptions that "normal" people do.

I'm not really sure what rules the world should operate under, and therefore I don't always know when I'm breaking them. But I do like searching for those "what-if" questions. :)

[Name]

I tend to follow and seek out any philosophy that teaches that all answers are found internally, through connection to the spiritual essence of humanity. I don't subscribe to any religious doctrine, instead take them all and seek out the common teachings in them. Which I have found to say that we are to love one another. But that just may be my own personal slant on things, but I like it, so will strive to follow it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't really dig the concept of a guru. Afterall, what qualifications does anyone else in this world have over my own experience to understand what the hell is going on? Not to say that I've got it all figured out, but I can't see myself putting that much stock in anyone elses conclusions over my own. We're all working with the same total lack of perspective, after all. So when figuring out what spiritual direction is best for me, and given the choice between everyone else, or myself, I gotta go with myself just because, hey, I'm the only one I know actually exists.

Of course, I do love hearing other's ideas and possibilities, but I don't think I'll ever consider anyone a guru.

[Name]

So when figuring out what spiritual direction is best for me, and given the choice between everyone else, or myself, I gotta go with myself just because, hey, I'm the only one I know actually exists.So besides the "I think therefore I am" philosophy, what proof do you have that you really exist? :p

[Ghoulish Delight]

So besides the "I think therefore I am" philosophy, what proof do you have that you really exist? :pThat's basically it. Or, to put it another way, my own awareness of my own consciousness is the only thing that differentiates me from anyone else, from my perspective. So that automatically gives me more authority in spiritual guidance for myself.

[€uroMeinke]

I don't really dig the concept of a guru. Afterall, what qualifications does anyone else in this world have over my own experience to understand what the hell is going on? Not to say that I've got it all figured out, but I can't see myself putting that much stock in anyone elses conclusions over my own.

Perhaps we have different concepts of a guru. I'm thinking more in the ways of a mentor or guide rather than a parent or dictator. I've met several people in my life that I place in the "guru" category. They always had something to teach me, though they never had a lesson plan, or an agenda. This of course has been my problem with most religion, in that they seem more interested in providing answers than asking interesting questions.

Perhaps most people just want to cut to the chase and have an answer they can live with, but I'm far to curious for that. I prefer the ambiguity of the unanswerabe, and find I'm much more fullfilled when given a question to contemplate, explore possibilities, and laugh at absurdities. I value people that can take me on these journies, and going back to my original post - I think the early pioneers of psychotherapy thought they were engaging in this kind of activity.

Modern Day psychology and psychotherapy seem to also be back to providing answeres, like anti-depressents to the depressed, and much less about what makes a fullfilling life.

Perhaps I should provide an example.

I had a dear friend, Bill who passed away several years ago. Back before I participated on any internet forum, he and his wife would host monthly pot lucks at his house for a "soire." This was sort of a Salon in which each month a topic was thrown out to the dinner guests to discuss. He employeed some of the standard salon protocal, we had a "talking stick" which gave the floor to whoever held it and each person to their time to explain in detail their feelings on a particular subject. The subjects ranged from the serious (political current events) to the absurd (the existence of angels), but was always fascinating. Bill had a knack of inviting people from all walks of life to these things, there was always a rich diversity of opinion. Dinner concluded the discussions, and we all felt closer to one another before the evening was out.

There's not a day on these boards that I don't think of him, and his brilliant idea to bring people together just to satisfy his own curiosity about the world and other people (it was usually his topic http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/images/smilies/wink2.gif). Bill was definately one of my gurus.

[€uroMeinke]

my own awareness of my own consciousness is the only thing that differentiates me from anyone else, from my perspective. So that automatically gives me more authority in spiritual guidance for myself.

To be sure, only you can make the journey - but there are plenty of guide books out there ;)

[Name]

I really like the people that offer interesting questions to contemplate, and then not care really what the answer is as long as it is a true answer for me. Because they already know what their answer was, and it may or may not be the same as mine. I am in no way a fan of the ready made answer for all.

[Not Afraid]

Here's my philosophy in one sentence:

There is a "Higher Power" and I'm not it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

To be sure, only you can make the journey - but there are plenty of guide books out there ;)
Most definitely agreed.

Of course, I come from a religious background that encourages questioning far more than most I've observered. Finding your own answers is definitely part of Judaism. Of course, the recommended source material is a little more limited than I prefer, but the basic tenet of self discovery is one reason that, despite my divergence from many of the core beliefs, I still feel a connection to Judaism.

So I am definitely one to take input from wherever I can. I just doubt I will ever find myself being a devotee of any one philosophy. It's always interesting the be presented with a new angle to consider, but I view them as more launching points for my own exploration than something to learn directly from.

[Prudence]

Religion is typically the resource for spiritual needs, but the institution seems so conformist, presenting answers instead of posing interesting questions. I wonder if this is why so many spiritual alternatives seem to have become popular, such as wicca. But even these seem more heavy on providing answers and less and exploring interesting questions about developing one's self and soul. But maybe I'm wrong about this.

This is the opposite of my experience. Maybe it depends on your particular flavor. However, my experience has been that religion presents an endless series of questions. Amongst them is the most basic question out there: "Why am I here?" Taking Christianity as an example, sometimes the "answer" is given as: "It's all part of God's plan." But that's not an answer. Or, rather, that's not an answer for anyone with an ounce of independent thought.

Sometimes "faith" is misinterpreted as a blind, unquestioning reliance on the "God's plan" idea. As if we are all pawns being moved about by unseen hands.

I don't much cotton to that notion. "God's plan" isn't an answer -- it's just the start to an endless series of further questions. I wonder about them all the time. From the basic -- "should I pick a focus area? IP law? Employment? Tax?" -- to more global -- "what would it take to have world peace? Is it possible to have peace? It is actually even desireable to have world peace?" -- to the way out there -- "If God exists, who made God? Are there other Gods? Are there other realities? What is the nature of time?"

And the only way I know to pursue answers is to live life. Advice is nice, but it has to be evaluated in context; no one can live my life for me.

[Not Afraid]

Religion is Man-Made.
Spirituality is God-Given.

[€uroMeinke]

I don't much cotton to that notion. "God's plan" isn't an answer -- it's just the start to an endless series of further questions. I wonder about them all the time. From the basic -- "should I pick a focus area? IP law? Employment? Tax?" -- to more global -- "what would it take to have world peace? Is it possible to have peace? It is actually even desireable to have world peace?" -- to the way out there -- "If God exists, who made God? Are there other Gods? Are there other realities? What is the nature of time?"

Hmmm different experiences I guess, though admittedly I stay away from most organized religions. Most of the "religious" folks I know don't tolerate questions about the existence of god very well, though I've had good discussion on this topic with clergy.

[Prudence]

Hmmm different experiences I guess, though admittedly I stay away from most organized religions. Most of the "religious" folks I know don't tolerate questions about the existence of god very well, though I've had good discussion on this topic with clergy.

I do stay far away from "big box" churches, because they seem more about playing a part than living in the mystery. Maybe I've been lucky. But how can one not question God, existence and all? How else to learn about being human than to question what isn't human?

But I think people who look for shortcuts in life look for shortcuts in religion, too. They want someone to tell them that if they just show up once a week, stand up, sit down, stand up, sing, sit down, pass the plate, stand up, sing, and shake hands they're covered and continue to put less thought into the meaning of life than they put into which value menu to pick up on the way home.

Some of us don't see such a separation between religion and spirituality. Religion is a convenient framework through which we can explore our spirituality. For me, faith isn't refraining from questioning, it's trusting that if I continue to pursue answers I'll eventually arrive wherever I'm supposed to be.

If I don't question, that's the same as sitting still. And I'll never reach my full potential -- of spirit, soul, intellect, humanity, whathaveyou -- if I'm sitting still.