Spiritual Quests, Self Discovery, and Other Early Morning Ramblings

€uroMeinke · 03-12-2005, 06:30 AM

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 · 03-12-2005, 06:39 AM

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 · 03-12-2005, 06:40 AM

this is why we need a guru

Not Afraid · 03-12-2005, 06:40 AM

I thought YOU were the guru?

Gemini Cricket · 03-12-2005, 07:14 AM

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 · 03-12-2005, 01:28 PM

"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 · 03-12-2005, 01:45 PM

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 · 03-12-2005, 02:22 PM

When good gurus go bad. Film at 11.

alphabassettgrrl · 03-15-2005, 05:01 PM

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 · 03-15-2005, 05:17 PM

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.

03-12-2005, 06:30 AM	#1
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	Spiritual Quests, Self Discovery, and Other Early Morning Ramblings 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? __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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03-12-2005, 06:39 AM	#2
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	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!
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03-12-2005, 06:40 AM	#3
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	this is why we need a guru __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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03-12-2005, 06:40 AM	#4
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	I thought YOU were the guru?
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03-12-2005, 07:14 AM	#5
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	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.
	Submit to Quotes

03-12-2005, 01:28 PM	#6
Tref Not Tref Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,188	"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! __________________ Tref3.0 Listen in aural 3-D to Pop's muzak! (New songs added semi-bi-daily) j & j Did you know that Emas eht yltcaxe is exactly the same spelled backwards?! Last edited by Tref : 03-12-2005 at 01:29 PM. Reason: harekrishnaharekrishnakrishnakrishnahareharehareramahareramaramaramaharehare
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03-12-2005, 01:45 PM	#7
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	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. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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03-12-2005, 02:22 PM	#8
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	When good gurus go bad. Film at 11.
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03-15-2005, 05:01 PM	#9
alphabassettgrrl Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,978	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.
	Submit to Quotes

03-15-2005, 05:17 PM	#10
Name Title Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: here Posts: 779	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. __________________ Signature
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